The Club
by dolly3078
Summary: James abused Bella, drained Charlie & made her forget he was vampire. She finds work at the Cullens' club. James returns for his 'pet' unveiling her memories, forcing her to see that Edward is vampire too; will she run or trust the Cullens to protect her?
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 01

I sat on the bench, twitching nervously, listening to the voices on the other side of the door. One voice suddenly rose angrily and I heard a sound like a slap, before a young blonde woman stalked out of the door wearing sky high heels. The woman's hand was on her cheek and there were tears in her eyes. She glared down at me before striding away, muttering to herself, angrily. I stared after her, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over me.

Nervously, I fidgeted with the skirt of the purple satin dress that was two sizes too big and had been hastily fastened with a wide black belt at my waist. Beside me, my companion grabbed my hands in his and smiled at me, reassuringly.

"Leave the dress alone. You look fine."

"B... but this place is so..."

"Perfect for you," he replied, before I could continue. I ducked my head and felt the heat of a blush; not having the heart to tell him that he was wrong; this place was far too good for the likes of me. The Twilight Club was an exclusive club for very wealthy men. They came for gourmet food, vintage wines and liquors and entertainment which ranged from classically trained musicians to burlesque dancers. The club had a dual reputation; some classed it as the most elite establishment of its kind and others as nothing more than an upmarket Moulin Rouge. But the pay was good and all of the girls who worked there knew they would be well protected. This could be the perfect opportunity for me; the chance to finally be off the streets and independent after so long.

"Mr Black? You can come through now," said a petite brunette, appearing at the doorway. "Your protégée can wait here while you speak to Mr Hale." She gave me a cursory glance, seeing how my hands were trembling with nerves. He stood up, with a smile and waltzed through the door, confidently.

I sank down in the chair and watched as Jacob went through to the office and then hunched up again as the door closed. My fingers automatically went back to the folds of my dress, worrying at the fabric again. I heard the cold voice that had risen in anger just moments earlier and leaned a little closer to the door, straining to hear what they said.

"We do not take charity cases, Black," said the voice. I shivered, my mind flitting to the picture I must make; my dark hair drawn into a claw clip to try and hide the fact it hadn't been washed in a few days, my face pale, large eyes shadowed after days without sleep and then there was the matter of the dress. It was the only one I could find at short notice and it was too big. It hung from me like a bed-sheet or a tent and I was not convinced that my current appearance would be enough for them to see my potential. Jacob had done his best, but he knew nothing about what girls wore, even after having me live with him for the last three months. The first outfit he had suggested, a cropped top and short skirt I had flat refused to wear, my hand hovering uncertainly over my stomach when he showed it to me. He had rolled his eyes, mistaking my movement for modesty and then produced the second option; the dress I was wearing. He said a friend had given it to him and I hadn't the heart to turn it down. He so desperately wanted to do something good for me.

"Look, man, she's a classy girl. If you meet her you'll see what I mean. There's definitely something about her that will appeal to a certain type of clientele. Trust me."

"Fine, bring her in."

I felt a rush of nerves and got slowly to my feet, as Jacob appeared at the door. He winked at me, trying to get me to relax and I gave him a tremulous smile. When I entered the room, I saw a large mahogany desk with a leather swivel chair and sat in the chair was one of the most beautiful men I had ever laid eyes on. His blonde hair was wild about his head, his full lips pursed together in a pale face, but it was his eyes that grabbed my focus. They were golden brown and I could not take my own eyes from them. The man leaned across the table towards me.

"She needs to learn some manners," he said. "Emmett."

From behind him my attention was brought to a large man, wearing a tight black t-shirt that emphasised his muscular chest and bulging biceps. His hair was cropped short and his lips curved into a smile. He stepped forwards, but Jacob moved in front of me, protectively.

"Forgive her; she has not had much experience of your... kind before." He turned and gave me a warning glance. I immediately lowered my head, as Mr Hale held up a hand and Emmett stepped back. Jacob looked back at him and gave a wolfish grin. "Allow me to present Isabella Swann."

The petite brunette at the side of the desk gasped and her hand flew to her mouth, but she quickly covered her reaction when Mr Hale looked across at her. He got to his feet and came round the desk. His hands reached behind me and yanked the clip from my hair, so that it tumbled about my face in lank strands, making me flush. His eyes narrowed and then he grabbed the dress I was wearing and fisted it in his hand.

"It is hard to see her qualities in this state, Jacob," he commented. A shiver of apprehension ran through me, but he took a step back. "Alice, what do you think?"

The brunette stepped forwards and ran her hands over my body, pausing at my waist, which was hidden by the dress. She tilted my chin up and looked into my eyes and then she smiled.

"She will do well enough. Look at those eyes, Jasper! She looks so... innocent...We have a vacancy for a waitress..."

"She would make an exceptional waitress..." started Jacob, but Jasper cut him off with a glare.

"Have the contract drawn up immediately. She can start tomorrow night. Alice, find her a room. I would suggest Isabella Swann that you spend tonight resting. You will need to look your very best tomorrow. You stay here, Black and we will sort out the paperwork."

I looked across at Jacob, fearfully; I hadn't expected that I would have to live here. He crossed the room and enveloped me in his arms, kissing my brow, gently.

"You'll be fine, Bells. Whatever else this place might be, it is protection of the best kind. It will keep you off the streets and keep you safe. I wouldn't have brought you here if I thought you'd get hurt..."

"Enough," said Jasper, smoothly, from his seat. "We have a contract to write. Alice."

The brunette sashayed across the room and I followed her out, glancing over my shoulder to see Jacob sitting down with Jasper Hale to draw up the contract that would change my life.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 02

The room was a reasonable size, with a double bed and a small en-suite with a shower, basin and toilet. It was whitewashed and the walls were clean and bright. But it was sparse; only a chest of drawers next to the window and a rug by the bed to cover the wooden floor.

"I will have some suitable clothing arranged for you, as well as a uniform," said Alice. "There are toiletries in the bathroom; help yourself. If you are hungry, the kitchen is just down the corridor. We have food bought in, so you don't have to worry about taking someone else's. Mr Cullen insists that all of the girls are fed well and kept healthy."

"M...Mr Cullen?" I stammered. It was the first words I had spoken since Jacob brought me here.

"Yes, the owner. He's away on business, but will be back in the next week or so. Until then Jasper is running things. Well, to be honest, Jasper does most of the running of the day to day stuff, like contracts and so on. He's a qualified lawyer. Not that legalities come in to it too much. Most girls are just happy to have found somewhere safe to live and work."

I nodded; I couldn't argue with that. Things had been pretty tough for the last few months. My dad had been killed in action two years ago; the grief of which would probably never leave me. Charlie was chief of police, an all round good guy and the day the patrol car turned up with his deputy had been the worst day of my life. For a long time I had remained in the house, unable to stir myself to find a job or a life for that matter. My friends drifted away, not understanding how I could still be so grief-stricken or so de-motivated. Before I knew it, I was broke and alone and the house was repossessed. I found myself drifting on the streets in a haze of depression until Jacob found me one day and rescued me.

He gave me a place to stay, though it wasn't the best. His home was like a motel, men of various ages passing through, some with their wives or girlfriends and some alone. They made me uncomfortable, their eyes raking me wolfishly at times, with or without said partners. Jacob picked up on this and said he would find me a job and a place to stay.

Jacob's dad had been a close friend of my dad's and I sometimes wondered whether everything he did for me was through a sense of obligation. I could never repay him for what he had done for me, but I knew he expected no repayment. Jacob, like Dad, was one of the good guys. Thinking about my dad brought a surge of grief and guilt that I fought against, swallowing hard.

"I'll leave you to it, Isabella," said Alice. "When you have finished your shower, just use the robe on the back of the door."

"Thank you," I murmured.

"And don't be afraid. We will look after you here," she said, gently touching my face. I forced myself not to recoil from her cold hand and her eyes narrowed slightly with sadness. "I'll leave you to it. See you in the morning." She closed the door softly behind her and I stared round the room, before heading for the bathroom, grateful to take off the hideous dress. There was a brief moment of guilt as I thought of Jacob's face when he gave it to me, but then I sighed and switched the shower on.

The water was hot and I stood under it for as long as I could, washing away the grime and the misery. I massaged the raspberry scented shampoo into my hair and sighed, revelling in the feminine scent. After being with Jacob and his pack for the last few weeks, all I had had were either masculine or neutral scents; he had no clue what to buy a girl and I couldn't ask him to buy me them when he was doing everything for me anyway. He was feeding me, clothing me and keeping me safe; anything else would be asking too much.

Finally, I came out from the shower and found that Alice had been in my room while I was out. There was a pile of clothing on the bed; underwear, nightwear, a couple of pairs of jogging bottoms and casual t-shirts and a uniform for working in the club. I picked it up and shook it out. It was a black dress, a bodice style top with an A-line skirt that fell just above my knee. The fabric was clearly expensive and it made me nervous just picking it up. Quickly, I changed into a pair of pyjamas and climbed into the bed, after moving the clothing into the drawers. I thought it would take me a long time to fall asleep in the strange surroundings, but I was unconscious before my head hit the pillow.

"You think you'll be safer here than on the streets?" I looked up and saw the blonde from the day before standing by the window. I sat up, abruptly, wondering what she was doing in my room. "The door was open." Her eyes flitted to the door and back again, lazily.

"I..."

"Twilight is great if you can fade into the background. I doubt you will, especially being a protégée of Jake Black. Jasper is already interested in you and Alice hasn't stopped talking about you. If I were you, Isabella Swann, I'd get out while you still can..."

There was a knock at the door and then it swung open. I drew my knees up to my chest as Emmett entered the room, his huge frame filling the space.

"Stirring up trouble, Rosalie?" he growled. The blonde got up from the bed and sauntered across the room, running her fingernails across his chest.

"Please, I was telling her like it is. Keep your head down and don't draw attention to yourself," she retorted. Emmett barked out a laugh.

"Maybe you should take your own advice," he said. "Both of you need to be downstairs in an hour, in your uniforms. We have a party in all day and Jasper wants you to do the first and last shift."

"First and last?" cried Rosalie. "But that means we'll be working about sixteen hours..."

"At least," said Emmett, with a smirk.

"It's her first day."

"Good, baptism of fire does a woman good," he said. Rosalie rolled her eyes at him and turned, her face now in plain sight. I saw the bruise on her left cheek and winced as Emmett stopped her in the doorway, placing his large hand on her face. "And whatever you do, make sure that is covered up."

She swore at him as she left the room and he rolled his eyes. When he turned back to me, I pulled the covers a little higher.

"You should get ready," he said, and then closed the door. I got up from the bed, slowly and took out the uniform. I had a quick shower and changed quickly into the dress, my fingers stumbling on the buttons in my haste. I took out my claw clip and tried to arrange my hair into a semblance of respectability and then headed downstairs, following the sound of voices. Half a dozen women were gathered in a lobby area all wearing the same dress, chatting away. I recognised Rosalie and saw that she had covered her face in make-up and looked even more classy and beautiful. Her foundation was perfectly blended, her eyes outlined in kohl and eyelashes tinted with mascara. Her lips were painted a deep red and she was the epitome of an elegant woman. I felt frumpy beside her, even in the dress, with my hair messily clipped to my head and a total lack of make-up.

Everyone fell silent as a figure came through the door. I looked up to see Alice enter the room. She paused, a clipboard in hand and walked along the row of us like an army sergeant major. When she reached Rosalie, she gave an approving smile, but then her eyes passed over my face. I flushed under her scrutiny and she beamed.

"Perfect," she said, softly, as if to herself. My skin, if possible, reddened even more.

"You don't think she could use some make-up?" said Rosalie, but it was a gentle query; there was no spite in her tone.

"No," said Alice. "I think our clients will appreciate the innocence of her."

She took a step back and looked down the line, then addressed all of us.

"Ok, ladies, the clients coming in today are very important. They are from the Westside Bank Company. Remember, you are there to serve drink, food and entertainment, but nothing more. If anyone tries to touch you inappropriately, you press the buzzer which Rosalie is handing out now in the palm of your hand and Emmett or one of security will be there straight away."

I took the bracelet that Rosalie handed me; it was a simple looking chain with a charm shaped like an apple hanging on it. The charm was the buzzer. Alice smiled at us all.

"Now then, good luck to you all, especially you, Isabella, on your first night. Rosalie will keep an eye on you and if you get stuck, ask one of the girls."

"Thank you," I murmured.

"Come on then," said Rosalie, leading the way to the bar area. "We are on drinks duty today. Alice thought it might be a bit easier for you than the food section. It can be difficult manoeuvring around the club with plates full of food. As a drinks waitress you are given an area to serve and you just keep an eye on drinks. We use the silver trays, even for just one drink. Remember, if you are handling white wine hold the stem of the glass so you don't warm it. And whatever you do, make sure you keep your eyes lowered. If you meet their eyes, they think it's a come on."

"A come on?"

"Yeah, you know, a come on, like take me to bed?"

"Oh." I must have paled a little because she smiled.

"Don't worry, Isabella. I doubt you will be worried by them. They're a respectable business; they won't want to tarnish that reputation. Right, you will be working these tables and I will be on the tables next to them. We have three each so we can give them devoted attention. The manager's table down there is always served by just one waitress, but generally someone with plenty of experience. Any questions?"

I looked at her; the only question I had was who had slapped her the day before and why, but I wasn't sure she would appreciate me asking. So instead, I shook my head, biting my lip nervously, as the doors opened and Alice led the gentlemen to their tables.

"Good luck," said Rosalie and then headed to her own tables.

The gentlemen sat down and I took their orders, a little nervously. I had worked in a cafe when I was a student, before Dad passed away, so I knew how to take the orders and had a fairly good memory, meaning I didn't mix up any of my orders. Rosalie smiled at me after our first four hours, when we were sat in the staff area behind the bar.

"You did really well, Jazz will be very pleased with you," she said.

"Jazz?" I was surprised by her familiar name for him. She quirked her eyebrow and met my eye.

"Jasper Hale is my older brother," she said, eventually. "We had a bit of an argument yesterday... well to be honest, we have a lot of arguments. He's not generally violent; Emmett is the enforcer round here, but I really pushed him yesterday."

"What's an enforcer?" I asked, curiously.

"He is head of security and if any of the girls are out of line, he sorts it out. To be honest, for most of them just his sheer size keeps them in line."

I nodded, understanding. Having seen him this morning, filling my bedroom doorway, I had no desire to be on the receiving end of any enforcement.

"What kind of things get you in trouble?" I asked, taking a sip of my boiling coffee.

"Stealing, staying out past curfew, taking clients back to your room, back chat, complaints from customers... that sort of thing."

"So basically if I just keep my head down and do my job, they'll leave me alone?" I asked, hopefully. Rosalie smiled.

"Sure," she said, allowing a little doubt to creep into her voice.

"Girls, your break time is done. You'd best get back out there." The woman who had called this warning disappeared before I could thank her. I got to my feet instantly, but Rosalie leaned back in her chair.

"Keep doing what you're doing, Isabella and you'll be fine. I heard one of those stuffed shirts saying you're the most efficient waitress they've had."

I blushed at the compliment and smiled, gratefully and then hurried out to my table, to resume service.

My first couple of weeks passed quickly. Mr Hale kept me on the drinks run for those two weeks, partly due to the compliments I had received and partly because he wanted me to settle in before he put me on a food run. I was glad of this; I had watched the girls balancing the huge trays of food and wasn't sure I would manage them as well as the dainty silver trays. But half way through week three one of the girls was sick and they asked me to do an extra shift in the kitchen. I could hardly refuse, bearing in mind what Rosalie had said about keeping my head down, but I felt a flush of nerves.

The shift went ok though, so my worries were ill-founded. Once I had done it once, I was a whole lot more relaxed about it, especially when Jasper said he would prefer I do the drinks run, permanently. I preferred the day time shifts, as the clientele tended to be sober for the most part and it was a little quieter. At night, the shift was a spectacle, with clients being a little more raucous, especially as the evening entertainment came on. Rosalie, I discovered, was a dancer in the evenings. Not that I was surprised; she was lithe and elegant; the most stunning dancer I had ever seen. It was difficult to tear your eyes from her when she danced, but after the first night, when a customer had laughingly asked if I would take his order, I had forced myself not to watch any of the entertainment; I didn't want any complaints.

Time was passing and I was adjusting, finally beginning to feel safe again. Unfortunately fate didn't seem to like the idea of me being too comfortable.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 03

"Good evening, my name is Isabella and I will be serving you this evening," I said, politely, handing round the drinks menus to the group of smart-casual dressed men before me. Rosalie had warned me it was a stag party and had said to be as cool and professional as possible, because they tended to get rowdy as the night went on. I was grateful for her advice and kept my voice as calm as possible. The men each took their menus, one of them lingering a hand on my wrist for a little longer than was necessary.

"No Jessica tonight?" asked the man holding my wrist. I looked up with a forced smile.

"No, sir, she is on her night off tonight," I replied.

"That's a shame," he drawled. I withdrew my wrist carefully from his hand.

"Can I take your orders?" I asked. The men gave me their orders and I moved away from the table, relieved to have a minute away. I had a feeling it was going to be a long night. Rosalie was sitting at the bar when I came back for the table's fourth order and she rolled her eyes.

"He's a jerk," she murmured in my ear.

"Who?" I asked.

"The blonde one. His name is Michael Newton. Really fancies his chances with most of the waitresses. He's the only person to have ever got Jess in trouble. Made her believe he loved her and she took him up to her room. He chased her for weeks and when she finally gave in to him, he reported her to Jazz. She still thinks he loves her, poor naive girl."

"I better get back," I said, flinching as I heard one of the men shout my name across the club, loud enough to hear over the music. I collected their beer and whiskey chasers onto my tray and walked back over, plastering a smile on my face. As I handed out the drinks, a hand reached out and rubbed my backside provocatively. I shot up; nearly dropping the drink I was passing across the table. There was a raucous laugh across the table.

"You scared her, Mike," said one of the men, punching the arm of the blonde man who was laughing up at me.

"Did I scare you, darling?" he drawled. I straightened up.

"No, sir, of course not," I said, steadily. He leaned back in the booth, spreading his arms out and leered up at me. "Will there be anything else?"

"Yeah, how about you come and sit on my knee?" he said.

"Anything else to drink, sir?" I asked, through gritted teeth, trying to keep my cool.

"No, we're all set thanks," said one of the other men, glancing across at Michael. "Mike, leave her alone."

"Oh, Eric, don't be such a killjoy!" said Mike. "She doesn't mind. Do you, sweet cheeks?"

I didn't reply, just smiled at the table and went across to serve my other table. When I glanced back at the stag party Mike was watching me over his glass, his eyes narrowed. The others were laughing and I heard them calling advice to Eric, whose stag party it was, for his wedding night.

"Isabella, can you serve the manager's table. Just for an hour, while Mel takes her break," asked Alice, suddenly appearing at my elbow.

"Of course, Alice," I said, relieved that I would be away from the stag party a bit longer. I headed over to the table and saw that there was only one person occupying it. He barely looked up as I introduced myself and asked what I could get him.

"Jack Daniels, on the rocks" he replied, quietly. After the noise from the stag party, his quiet voice was like balm to my ears. I hurried with his order, hearing Mike shouting my name again. I placed the whiskey on the table.

"Will there be anything else, sir?" I asked. The man didn't reply, just shook his head and so I headed back to the stag party, reluctantly.

"Same again all round, Isabella," said Mike. "And don't take so long about it this time."

I was a little surprised by the aggression in his tone, but forced myself to ignore it. After all he wasn't the first aggressive drunk I had dealt with. My eyes found the little apple charm on my bracelet and I chewed my lip nervously as I waited for the bar staff to complete my order. When I returned to the table, Mike kept his hands to himself and I sighed with relief, before heading to my other tables to check on them and then back to the manager's table, where my quiet customer was sitting, his head bowed so that all I could see was a tangle of just out of bed style bronze hair.

"Excuse me, sir, could I get you another drink?" I enquired.

"Isabella! Get that sexy little butt back over here!" bellowed Mike's voice across the room, making me wince.

"Another Jack Daniels," said the man, without lifting his head, seemingly oblivious to the comment from my other table. I headed back to the bar, trying to ignore Mike's voice, still bellowing for me.

"Come on, Isabella! You said you would be _serving _me for the night! I need some service!"

Once I had placed the drink on the lone table, I headed back to the stag party reluctantly.

"I am sorry for your wait, sir," I forced myself to say. "What can I get for you?"

"We'll have a round of whiskies," slurred Mike. "Double for the stag!"

"Double! Double!" chanted the rest of the group, banging their empty glasses on the table, before I rounded them up to take back to the bar with me. I returned with their order quickly; the bar staff were taking pity on me and rushing the stag party's orders through.

"Hey!" said Mike, after he downed his whiskey in one go. "You forgot something!"

"I'm sorry, sir?"

Mike suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me down towards him. My fingers touched the apple on my charm bracelet, but then he released me.

"Get us another beer as well, darling," said Mike. I headed back to the bar, shaken and the barmaid gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Only another hour, Bella," she said.

"Thanks," I grimaced. When I got back to the table, Mike was on his feet, apparently heading for the men's room, but before I had a chance to put his drink down, he barged into me, so the beer fell off the tray and went straight down his top and jeans.

"You stupid bitch!" he snarled, suddenly going from aggressive to just sheer nasty. I flinched and my hand reflexively covered my stomach.

"I'm very sorry," I managed to get out before he grabbed my arm.

"You will be!" he started to say, but then Emmett appeared.

"I'll deal with this, sir," he said. "If you would like to go through to the men's room, the attendant there will sort you out. I will have a new waitress sent to your table and a bottle of champagne on the house. Isabella, could you report to Mr Hale's office immediately."

Mike headed off, muttering to himself and I followed Emmett shakily through the bar to the offices at the back. There were tears standing out on my eyelashes, as he told me abruptly to take a seat outside the office and wait for Mr Hale. He then turned on his heel and disappeared, only to reappear several minutes later, with Mr Hale. They went into the office, without so much as glancing at me and I felt the tears running down my cheeks.

"Miss Swann," called Mr Hale's cold voice. I shivered and wiped my eyes on the back of my hand and then went through to the office. I stood before his desk, my head bowed. Mr Hale cleared his throat. "I have had a complaint about your behaviour tonight from two clients."

"T... two, sir?" I stammered. I knew Mike would have complained, but who else?

"Yes. You were covering the manager's table for an hour as well?"

"He complained?" I gasped, wondering what on earth his complaint could have been.

"It is not good for a waitress to be slovenly in serving one table so that they are forced to shout their orders across the club to her. You did not serve the stag table as well as you should have and then you threw a drink over the best man..."

"I did not!" I cried, feeling a twinge of anger at the injustice of the complaints. Mr Hale's eyes swept over me and I noticed that they were black.

"You are saying that our clients have lied?" he said, coldly.

"Y... yes," I stammered, with less conviction.

"Mr Newton is a valued customer, Isabella. He is many things, but he is not a liar."

Mr Hale steepled his fingers and looked across at me steadily.

"I... I'll go and apologise... to Mr Newton and Mr..."

"You will not be back in the bar tonight and possibly not tomorrow either by the time Emmett is done with you," replied Mr Hale without any emotion. I blanched and felt the tears streaming down my face again.

"P... please, M...Mr Hale..." I managed to stammer out between sobs.

"Do you like working here?" he asked, suddenly. I nodded, unable to speak. "Then you will accept my judgement and do what I tell you to do. And you will not retaliate to our more challenging customers by pouring drinks over them and then pretending it was an accident. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir," I whispered.

"Go and sit outside again and wait for Emmett," he said, coldly. I went out to the corridor and slumped into one of the chairs, sobbing softly to myself. The sound of footsteps made my heart quicken. Someone paused in front of me for a brief moment and I saw a pair of polished black shoes, but then the person moved away so swiftly I didn't have time to look up. Mr Hale's door slammed and I heard a soft voice that I recognised. It was the man from the manager's table. His voice was so soft I couldn't hear his words, but I heard Mr Hale.

"You said yourself that they were shouting across the club for her... No, it is not appropriate... I am not willing to let a member of our staff get away with a trick like that. If I do, all of the girls will be trying the same thing if a man so much as looks at them the wrong way!... If she was really in trouble with them, she has her charm... No, Emmett said she didn't buzz for him... Fine! Have it your own way!"

The door opened and closed and I looked up through my tears, to see the blurry outline of a man standing over me. The man drew in a sharp breath and turned away from me abruptly.

"Isabella!" The voice of Mr Hale rang from the office and I got reluctantly to my feet and forced myself to go back into the office. "Take yourself to bed. You will do the daytime shift tomorrow."

"Th... thank you, sir," I stammered.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 04

"_Isabella, Isabella. Open your eyes and look at me." The quiet command made my heart rate speed up and I did as I was told slowly. He was leaning over me, his red eyes staring down into mine._

"_Did you think I had forgotten you? Years mean nothing to me, Isabella; they pass as quickly as minutes do for you. I am watching you, always watching you. And one day soon, I will come for you."_

My reprieve from the enforcer was a wake- up call and I determined to keep my head down. For the next couple of weeks I was kept on day duty, which suited me fine. It had shaken me up being so close to being... well I didn't even know what Emmett might have done. And that frightened me all the more.

"Bella, you ok?" asked Rosalie one day. She was sitting on the windowsill in my room, the window wide open so that she could smoke.

"I... I guess. I've just not been sleeping too well," I said. "Rose, what would Emmett have done to me?"

She smiled down at me and shrugged.

"Have you been losing sleep over Emmett, Bella? He would just have roughed you up a bit. He wouldn't have hurt you too bad, probably just a couple of slaps. Mr Cullen is much scarier." She shivered. I gulped and then tried to push the thought from my head.

"I thought Mr Cullen was supposed to be back a couple of weeks after I started," I said.

"Ha! He's a law unto himself," she snorted, stubbing out her cigarette and flicking the butt out of the window. "And I wouldn't be in any hurry to meet him. Trust me, if you think Jasper and Emmett are harsh... well let's just say he's not someone I would want to catch the eye of. Bella, you've got to forget about the other night. We all have bad nights. Honestly, leave it. You'll soon be back in the swing of things. Alice won't keep you on daytimes forever."

"I don't mind. I like daytimes..."

"I don't. The day crawls by and it's a lot of hours. Give me a night anytime; busier you are the quicker it goes. Shame you don't dance."

"Only as a comedy act!" I giggled, thinking about how uncoordinated I was.

"Come on, we'd best get a wriggle on or all the breakfast will be gone." Rosalie got to her feet, with a smile.

I followed her down to the kitchen.

"Isabella, can you come with me, please." Alice's voice made me start and I looked over my shoulder to see her heading towards me. "I just need to go through your shift with you."

"Go on, I'll make you some breakfast," said Rosalie, with a smile.

Alice led me to her own office, a bright room, with pink curtains hanging at the window, a desk with office chair to one side and a cream sofa with pink cushions on the other. She sat down on the sofa and patted the seat beside her, giving me a friendly smile.

"I am very impressed, Bella. There's not many can make a friend of Rosalie," she said, brightly.

"She's been great," I said, with a shrug.

"Good, it's time she had a friend other than me." She didn't elaborate and I didn't ask. "Anyhow, Jasper has asked that you serve the manager's table tonight. There is a very... special man sitting there tonight and it is vital that you impress him."

"Why would he want me?" I asked, remembering his fury just weeks earlier. Part of me wondered if it was a trick to try and catch me out.

"Because I have asked him to," she replied, with a carefree shrug. "You are too good to waste on a day shift, Bella and it is high time he remembered that. Look, between us, Newton is scum. He might be a good customer because of his wallet, but he is a decidedly bad customer for our girls. And to be honest, I'm a little disappointed that you didn't throw the drink over him deliberately. Even Emmett wanted you to have done it deliberately just a little. Not one of us likes the sleazy little twit. Hopefully that little stunt the other night will keep him away for a while."

I giggled, a little nervously and she smiled, tucking a stray hair from my face.

"I will help you get ready. I think tonight a little make-up would do no harm and wear your hair loose. He'll like that."

I nodded, feeling a small thrill of excitement as much as trepidation at what the night might bring.

Alice, as good as her word, pampered me that night, using minimal make up that highlighted my features rather than covered them. She put a clip in the top of my hair to stop it falling over my face, but curled the ends so they hung down my back. When she was done, she fastened my bracelet around my wrist.

"Not that I think you'll need it tonight," she said, with a smile. Suddenly, impulsively, she leaned in and kissed me on my brow. "You look beautiful Bella. I am certain he will approve."

I walked across to the manager's table, a complimentary glass of deep red wine on my tray, trying to control the trembling of my hand, as I saw who was sat there. I recognised the mess of bronze coloured hair, but the man was leaning back now, his ankle rested on his opposite knee. Eyes the colour of gold watched me approach from an angular face, full lips relaxed in a strong jaw line. He did not smile at me as I placed the glass in front of him and I felt a twinge of nerves.

"Good evening, sir. I am Isabella and I will be serving you tonight," I said. "What can I get for you?"

"You can get me a bottle of merlot, Isabella," he replied, in a voice like dark chocolate, smooth and rich.

"Of course, sir," I said, making the mistake of looking up to find him staring into my eyes. Large golden orbs looked straight into my eyes, as if they could see into my very soul and I was frozen to the spot. For a moment I recognised what a rabbit must feel when it is fixated by a cobra. He glanced away and I blinked, remembering that he had ordered a drink. As I headed to the bar, I was sure I heard him chuckle behind me, but I resisted the urge to look back at him. When I returned to the table he was swirling his glass between his fingers, those golden eyes fixed on me. I was not going to make the mistake of looking directly at him again and so I kept my eyes demurely lowered.

"Would you like me to pour for you, sir?" I asked when he had finished his first drink.

"Yes, Isabella. I would like that very much," he said, sounding amused. I picked up the bottle and poured him a glass, my hand still trembling a little. Luckily, I managed to not spill a drop. I handed the glass to him and he took it, brushing my fingers briefly with his. I placed the bottle very carefully on the table to avoid dropping it after the shock of his touch. His hand was like ice, marbled ice. Another dark chuckle at my reaction. There was a long silence as he drank and then he looked up at me. "Tell me, Isabella, what are you doing here?"

"I... I work here, sir," I said, surprised by the question. He swirled the wine and then nodded.

"Of course. Most girls have a story to tell though."

"I came for an interview and I got the job, sir," I said, as politely as I could. I didn't want to talk about Charlie, or the nights on the street or living with Jacob. Or being so desperate to get away from the life I had before.

"But you were not employed by the manager?"

"He is away, sir. I was hired by Mr Hale."

"I see. You have not done evenings for several weeks, Isabella."

I stiffened at this and glanced down at him, to find his gaze once again fixed on me.

"No, sir," I replied, not offering any information. He scowled and then gestured at his glass. I picked up the bottle and leaned over him to pour. He sat up a little straighter, leaning towards me.

"Isabella, what perfume is it that you wear?" he asked, suddenly. I started and looked down at him.

"The same as the other girls, sir. We are provided with toiletries."

He breathed in deeply and sighed.

"Yes, of course the scent is not artificial; it is your own." The words were spoken so quietly that I thought I had misheard him. He leaned back and watched me over the rim of his glass. "Jack Daniels, on the rocks." He said it so sharply that I flinched, but then hurried to the bar to get what he had requested. When I returned, he downed the shot in one and then got up, leaving the club without another word to me. I watched him go feeling a wave of confusion flood through me. Why had he suddenly become so annoyed with me? I turned to see Emmett watching me from across the club, his dark eyes narrowed slightly, but he smiled when he caught my eye and nodded towards the staff area, effectively giving me permission to clock off.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 05

"So, how's it going? Missing us at the Black Ranch?" asked Jacob, leaning across the table, slightly, as he casually picked up his large coke filled with ice. I shivered and wrapped my gloved hands around my hot chocolate and smiled across at him.

"I miss you," I said, quietly. "Not so much the ranch to be honest." Jacob laughed, not offended in the slightest.

"Are they treating you right?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he said this. I smiled again and nodded.

"They treat us all really well. We get food, toiletries and clothes provided as well as a bit of a wage too, so it's a good way to live. And the other girls are nice." I chatted away, telling him about Rosalie and Alice, who had become the main people I talked with. He listened, a half smile on his face and then squeezed my hand across the table.

"It's great you're doing well, Bells. I was worried about leaving you there that first day; you looked so scared. But I knew you'd fit right in, didn't I?"

I nodded and then looked across at him, shaking my head.

"Jake, are you not cold? I mean it's minus ten out there today and you're in t-shirt and jeans. What gives?"

He glanced away, shiftily and seemed to stiffen for a moment, but then he visibly forced himself to relax.

"I'm a hot-blooded male; of course I'm warm enough. Not my fault you've turned into a sissy girl working at Twilight." He laughed when I slapped his arm lightly. "It's nice to see you smiling, Bells. Thought I'd lost you for a while there."

"Lost me?" I queried, but then dropped my gaze when I thought of how I had been when I lived with him. The months on the streets and what happened before that had made me edgy and defensive. He squeezed my hands.

"You want to get something to eat?" he asked, distracting me from my train of thought.

"Sure, why not? Might as well make the most of my day off," I said. He got up and led me out of the small cafe.

"I know a great steak house just down the way. They do chicken too if you'd rather."

"Sounds great," I replied, just happy to spend a bit of time with him. I followed him into the restaurant and we were taken to a table by a friendly waitress. Jacob ordered his steak rare and I ordered a chicken and pasta meal. We chatted amiably until our food arrived and then sat quietly, enjoying the food. When we were done, Jake ordered drinks and we stayed for a while at the table.

"Well, look who it isn't!" said a voice that made me cringe. I looked up, pleading that it not be who I thought it was. Luck was not on my side as I looked up into the blue eyes of Michael Newton. Jacob glanced across at me and could see by my face I was not happy at the interruption. "Not speaking to me, Isabella?"

"Excuse me, we are trying to enjoy a quiet drink," said Jacob, as politely as he could.

"You know, I was enjoying one of those the other month until your girlfriend poured a beer down me," replied Mike, his eyes narrowing.

"That was an accident," I said.

"Oh, now she speaks." He leaned across the table so that his face was close to mine. "Think I'll request your personal services next time I'm at Twilight. Maybe I'll pay for the manager's booth, keep you to myself all night long." He spat the words at me like a threat and I leaned back away from him.

"What the hell is your problem?" asked Jacob, getting to his feet. Mike turned around and raised an eyebrow at him cockily.

"At the moment, my problem is you. I'm trying to have a conversation here."

"Seems like a very one-sided one to me," said Jacob. "I don't think the lady has much to say to you."

"Lady?" sneered Mike and I realised at that point that he was drunk. Jacob grabbed him by the shirt, but I stood up.

"Jake, let's get out of here," I said, grabbing his sleeve. "Please. He isn't worth it."

"You go, but next time you're working, you'll be at my table, serving me all night," slurred Mike.

"I wouldn't count on it," muttered Jacob, but I pulled on his arm and pulled him out. When he was calm enough he whirled to face me. "Who the hell was that?

"Mike Newton. He's a regular at Twilight. He came in with a stag party a month ago and tried to get me in a whole heap of trouble after he barged into me and I dropped his drink down him. Don't worry; everyone knows he's a sleaze. They only let him in because of his wallet. If he does request me, Emmett will be there watching his every move. And it's not as if I haven't had to deal with a lot worse is it?"

His eyes narrowed at my added comment and I silently willed myself to believe the words I was saying. Jacob sighed and put his arm around me.

"If you're sure..." he said. I nodded.

"I'm sure. I'll be fine, Jake. Don't worry about me."

It was me that had to worry just a week later when, true to his word, Michael Newton paid for the manager's booth and insisted that I be his waitress for the night. He arrived just after eight and I could tell he was already a little inebriated as he took his seat in the booth.

"I will have a beer, preferably in a glass and not in my lap," he said, with a sneer, when I asked what I could get him. I just stopped myself from rolling my eyes in time and headed to the bar. Emmett sidled up beside me.

"Play nice, Isabella. I know the guy is a jerk, but he's paid a lot to have you to himself tonight."

"I don't know why," I muttered. Emmett grinned.

"Probably because you weren't dazzled by him when you first met him. I'm keeping a close eye on him, ok?"

"Thanks, Emmett," I said, shyly and then headed back to the booth.

"I want you to stand just there, Isabella," said Mike, leaning back in the seats and looking up at me over the brim of his glass. "And watch me while I drink my beer."

I did as he said without a word. If that was all he wanted me to do, I could manage it. But I kept my gaze lowered to his glass, not wanting to see his smug face. He suddenly moved his hand to his thigh and drummed his fingers there for a moment. I watched his hand as he moved it along the table in my direction, but he skimmed away before he touched me. Weirdo, I thought.

"Can I get you another drink, sir?" I asked, politely, when he had finished.

"Yes you can, Isabella, yes you can," he said. "And trust me I'll be watching that sweet ass of yours all the way to the bar."

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes and walked to the bar as quickly as I could. To my surprise, the man with the bronze hair was sat on a stool, drinking a Jack Daniels. He glanced up when I said my order and I flinched at the animosity in his gaze. His eyes were pure black. Keeping his eyes fixed on me, he suddenly slammed his glass down, pushed his stool back so hard it fell over, landing close to my foot and stormed away. With shaking hands, I picked the stool up and looked in the direction he had headed, but he was gone. Michael however was still leering at me from his seat in the booth, so with a sigh I picked up my tray with his drink and headed back, knowing I was in for a long night.

"I can't believe there's another two hours to go," I muttered to Rosalie, who was at the bar when I went back for his sixth drink. "He is such a jerk!"

"Why what's he done now?" she asked, glancing back at him.

"He keeps moving his glass further back along the table so I have to bend across to get it. Then he just sits there staring at my ass and groaning to himself. He's such a pervert!"

"He hasn't touched you though?"

"I think he knows Emmett is watching him," I replied, glancing across at the huge security man standing just feet from the table I was serving, his eyes flickering over to Newton every few minutes.

"Hang in there, Bella. I'm up next; maybe I can distract him."

"Maybe," I muttered as I headed back to my own private hell. Rosalie tried her best for me when the dancing started. She focussed her efforts on the manager's table and for twenty minutes, Newton's attention was taken by her beautiful figure wiggling provocatively right in front of him. A small smile formed on my lips until I saw the look on Emmett's face; he looked like he was ready to kill someone and at that moment my money was on Rosalie.

"Thanks," I whispered. "But watch out for Emmett. He didn't look too pleased."

"He never does when I do my lap dancer impression," she replied, with a grin, apparently a lot less concerned by the enforcer than I was. He stopped her as she went to walk backstage though and they seemed to be in a fairly heated discussion.

"Hey, waitress! Attention here if you don't mind," slurred Mike. "Get me another beer. Now."

"Of course, sir," I said, smoothly, though by now I could quite happily have poured a barrel of beer over his head, never mind a glass.

As I turned to head back to the bar, an eerie silence filled the club, as the double doors swung open. A red headed woman strode in, with a dark skinned man, whose dreadlocks hung to his waist. They both scanned the bar area and the woman's red lips curved into a sneer as she laid eyes on me. I took a step back, my heart thudding painfully in my chest.

"Please no," I whispered, but my attention was suddenly caught by Mike, grabbing my arm painfully in his hand. He twisted my skin when I didn't immediately respond to him and I gasped, but couldn't tear my eyes from the door.

"Hey, waitress, service!" he slurred. A figure walked in through the door between his companions, blonde hair tied into a ponytail at his nape, eyes hidden behind a pair of shades. His t-shirt was so tight fitting that his sculpted chest might as well have been bare. My hands were shaking so much that I dropped the silver tray I held with a clatter. Mike got to his feet. "Look, bitch, you're supposed to be serving me, not ogling other men..."

"Shut up," I murmured, my eyes never leaving the man who had just walked in.

"What the hell did you say?"

I glanced across at him.

"I said shut up," I snapped. Security were approaching the three figures at the door and I heard someone state that their kind wasn't welcome. The man at the door removed his sunglasses, his red eyes fixing on me briefly. He took a single step forward and pointed his shades at me, sneering, just as Mike Newton's closed fist struck me in the mouth. The trio who had walked in disappeared as swiftly as they had appeared, Newton was tackled to the floor by security and a pair of strong hands lifted me from the floor, carrying me back to the office area behind the club.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 06

"So where the hell were you, Emmett?" demanded Mr Hale. We were sat in his office, Alice pressing an ice-pack to my jaw, while Mr Hale paced by the window and Emmett stood stock still by the desk, his eyes flitting from my face to Mr Hale's. I winced and Alice smiled sympathetically.

"Backstage, with Rosalie," said Emmett eventually.

"You left her on her own with that idiot Newton to make out with your girlfriend?" said Alice, incredulously. Jasper raised an eyebrow at this.

"Gee, thanks, Alice. Soul of discretion my ass," muttered Emmett, running an agitated hand over the back of his head.

"We will discuss that later," promised Mr Hale, directing his gaze back to me. "For now, we need to sort out this mess. Mr Cullen will be furious..."

"P... please don't sack me," I begged, suddenly fearful that I would be blamed for this.

"Isabella, this was not your fault," said Mr Hale, for once not looking quite as terrifying when his eyes met mine. "Our girls are supposed to be safe to work around idiots like Newton who think their wallet buys them anything they want. They are supposed to be protected." He glared at Emmett again, who ducked his head, looking a little shame-faced.

"I...it wasn't Emmett's fault," I stammered. "I got distracted and didn't get his drink when he wanted me to..."

"That doesn't excuse him hitting you, Isabella," said Emmett, quietly. "Though I do appreciate you sticking up for me, kid." He gave me a lopsided grin and I grimaced back. Alice removed the ice-pack and looked at my jaw.

"Lucky there's no blood," she said, softly.

"Do you think anything's broken?" asked Emmett.

"No, but she's going to have a real bruise there. I'm sorry, Bella, but I don't think you'll be able to work tomorrow. After it's come out properly, I might be able to cover it with make-up," said Alice, thoughtfully.

"Take Isabella to her room, Alice. Emmett and I have some things we need to discuss," said Mr Hale.

"Will he be ok?" I whispered to Alice, as we left the room.

"Emmett can handle himself," she said with a shrug. I glanced back at the door, as Mr Hale's voice rose. Suddenly very glad to be away from the office, I hurried after Alice until we reached my room. She closed my door behind us and perched on the end of my bed. "Bella, what caused you to lose your focus?"

Her sudden question made me wince, as I remembered those red eyes staring at me and I shivered.

"Nothing," I said, ducking my head. "I guess I was tired and..."

"Ok, I get you don't want to tell me, but don't lie please, Bella," she said, holding a hand up. I flushed, but she didn't look angry. She gave me a small smile. "When you are ready to talk, I will be here."

"Thanks," I muttered. Alice sighed and got up from the bed.

"Sleep tight, Bella," she said and left the room. When she was gone, I sank down on the bed, tears burning my eyes. James had found me...

"_I told you I was coming for you, Isabella. And look how easy you were to find. Do you think they can protect you from me?" His voice in my ear brought me to full alertness and I gasped, but his hand was over my mouth to stop me from screaming. He leaned in close and inhaled deeply. "Ah that sweet scent. How was I so restrained? You are something to savour though, aren't you?"_

"_What are you?" My strangled voice was muffled by his hand, but he heard me._

"_You know what I am, Isabella. Do not pretend you do not know."_

_His voice faded and my eyes flew open._

Rosalie had a bandage around her hand when I saw her the following morning at breakfast. I stared at it and felt a flush spreading on my face. To my surprise she got up and flung her arms round me.

"Oh, Bella, you look awful! Are you ok? Does it hurt?" Her hand touched my jaw gently and I flinched, then glanced down at her hand as she released me ad went back to the table to sit down.

"Rose, did Emmett...?"

"Not my fault the big lug has a face made of iron," she said. As realisation hit me, I brought a hand to my face to cover the laughter that threatened. Rosalie grinned widely, obviously very pleased with herself. "He deserved a slap after leaving you on your own with that bastard. Anyway, it was worth it to see the look on his face."

At that very moment, Emmett appeared at the door, a bruise already formed under his eye. He looked across at Rosalie and his eyes narrowed a little. As he crossed the room though, she held his gaze.

"Look what you did to my face," he said, jerking a finger at the bruise. Rosalie glared at him.

"Look what your face did to my hand!" she retorted, waving her bandaged fist under his face.

"Oh, jeez, Rose, I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" He took her hand gently between his two large hands, as if it was made of glass. He brought it gently to his lips.

"Emmett," she said, warily, looking around the kitchen.

"Rosalie, you told Alice. Did you seriously think she could keep it quiet from him?"

"Oh."

"Yes, oh."

Emmett gave her a meaningful look, but then looked down at me, sat at the table. He tipped my face towards him and winced.

"God help us if Mr Cullen sees that," he muttered.

"Is he back?" asked Rosalie.

"He's been back weeks, Rose. Surely you've seen him in the bar?"

"Emmett, I only see you in the bar," she replied, with a smile. He grinned widely, allowing the balm to his ego.

"Anyhow, I came to say that Mr Hale has requested your presence, Isabella."

"Am I in trouble?" I asked.

"Doubt it. There's only me in trouble at the moment," replied Emmett. "Come on, I'll walk you down. And I'll see you later, my little she-cat." He blew a kiss in Rosalie's direction and to my surprise she blushed.

"Isabella, I know that I said you wouldn't be working tonight, but something has... come up," said Mr Hale, after directing me to sit down in the chair opposite him. I had never seen him look so anxious.

"Sir?" I said, politely.

"Alice will employ all the skills she has to cover that up." He gestured at the bruising to my jaw line, which thankfully was not as bad as it could have been. Newton had been very drunk and the blow had not been as hard as I had thought it to be the night before.

"O... of course," I said. I would prefer to work anyway; at least then there wasn't time to think about James' presence the night before. Also, after seeing security so easily send them on their way, I felt a little safer being at Twilight.

"You'll be working for the manager's table again. It is a party of one and so should not cause any problems for you. Newton has been barred, so he won't be coming in again. And we are not expecting any difficult parties in tonight. You are to make sure your client is well served all night, but make sure you take enough breaks."

"Yes, sir," I said, politely. Mr Hale nodded, brusquely and sent me on my way.

"Good evening, sir, my name is Isabella and I will be serving you tonight," I said, glad that I had taken the painkillers Alice suggested, which had numbed my jaw for now. She had covered it well, I thought, when I looked in the mirror that evening. But just in case she had left my hair loose around my shoulders, combing it to one side so that it would cover the left side of my face.

"Good evening, Isabella." My bronze haired client looked up at me and gave me a crooked smile. "I will have my usual."

"Of course, sir," I said. "Will that be a bottle of merlot followed by a Jack Daniels on the rocks?"

"Just the merlot to start," he replied. When I returned with his bottle and a glass, I leaned across to place them in front of him and he suddenly grabbed my wrist and got to his feet. I gasped, but before I could drop the glass I still held, he caught it and placed it on the table so quickly I wondered for a moment if he were human. He brought a tender hand to my face, tilting it towards me, his hand impossibly cold, making me shiver. "Who did this?"

"Would you like me to pour your drink, sir?" I asked, trying to pull away from him, but his grip tightened slightly on my wrist.

"I asked you a question, Isabella. Who did this to you?"

"Please, sir," I said, as he moved his grip up my arm a little and his cold hand came into contact with the bruise there left from Mike twisting my skin the night before. I gasped and he released me abruptly, sitting down. Shakily, I opened the bottle and poured him a glass, spilling a little on the table. Hastily, I took a serviette from the table and wiped it up. He took a long gulp from the glass and then glared up at me.

"I am not in the habit of repeating myself, Isabella, especially not more than once. I have asked you a question and I fully expect you to answer me."

"I... I'm not supposed to answer personal questions, sir," I stammered. "It is not my intention to be awkward."

"I see." He swirled the remainders of his drink and then downed it in one, before holding the glass up to me for a refill. My hand was a little steadier now and I managed to pour without spilling. "Tell me, Isabella, whose rule is this?"

"It... it's a club rule, sir," I replied. He raised an eyebrow at this and chuckled to himself, humourlessly.

"A club rule?"

"Isabella, it is time for your break. Excuse me, sir," said Alice, taking me by the arm, to lead me away. The man looked across at her and his eyes darkened a little.

"She has only been on duty half an hour," he said.

"Yes, sir, I am aware of that, but she needs a break now," said Alice, raising an eyebrow at him. The man leaned back in his seat and fixed me with his gaze.

"Isabella, do you need a break?" he asked. I shivered a little under his scrutiny and found myself shaking my head.

"I'm ok, Alice," I said, giving her a small smile. Alice looked at me a little dubiously and then leaned in to the client.

"Please keep your hands to yourself, sir, or I will be forced to deal with you myself," she said. The man simply glared at her, as she sauntered away.

"Is she always so protective of you, Isabella?"

"No, sir," I replied, faintly, wondering what had possessed me to turn down the opportunity of a break from him. His golden eyes were fixed on me and I was finding it difficult to look away from him. He was silent for a long time, simply looking up at me and I felt a surge of relief that perhaps he had forgotten about our conversation.

"Would you like another bottle, sir?" I asked, when I had poured his final glass. He looked up at me and nodded, wordlessly. When I returned from the bar, he stretched his legs out in front of him and leaned back in the booth, catching me again with his strong gaze.

"Now, Isabella, I would very much like it if you could answer my question. You need fear no repercussions; I will not tell anyone."

"It was a customer last night," I replied, eventually, in a very quiet voice. "But it doesn't matter now; he's been barred and I'm alright. He won't be back."

Glass suddenly sprayed around us and I gave a squeal. The man had leapt to his feet again, brushing his hand off. As he leaned across, I realised he had crushed the glass in his bare hand. And he wasn't bleeding.

"Where the hell was Emmett?" demanded the man.

"It was my fault, sir. I wasn't serving the client properly and I..."

"Please, tell me you are not blaming yourself for some scum putting their hands on you!" he snapped and suddenly his eyes became pure black. His voice was so angry that I took a step back, my fingers finding the apple on my charm. As Emmett approached though, he suddenly froze and then shrugged, taking a step back, stopping any of the other security men from interfering. I stared, open-mouthed as they all deliberately walked away.

"Sir, if you would take a seat, I will get you a new glass," I said, trying to sound professional; doing my job, so that I could avoid the way he was looking at me. To my relief he sat down again and I hurried over to the bar, while another member of staff cleared the glass from my table. By the time I returned, his eyes were golden brown again and he was back in the nonchalant position, his ankle resting on his knee, arms spread across the back of the booth.

"What caused your lapse in concentration, Isabella?" he asked his voice soft like velvet again.

"Would you like me to pour your drink, sir?" I asked, avoiding the question. He nodded, abruptly, but continued looking up at me, as if expecting an answer.

"Isabella," he growled.

"I... I guess I was tired," I murmured, wondering why he was taking such an interest.

"You bite your lip when you are nervous," he observed. "And when you are lying."

With an effort, I took my teeth from my lip, licking it furtively instead.

"Look, Mr..."

"Cullen. Edward Cullen," he said, meeting my eyes, forcefully.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 07

"_Look at how angry you make people still, Isabella. I see what's in your head. You thought you would be safe at Twilight. You know nothing about them. Remember what you most feared about me? Remember what I could do? Of course you don't, because that is the way I wanted it. Look closely at the Cullens and the Hales, Isabella. I am sure your memories will start to come back. Do you believe yourself safer with them than with me? Do you think I will accept the way you look at him? You didn't even know who he was and your heart fluttered at the sight of him; at the thought of serving him. Your heart beats only for me and when I decide the time is right, your heart will stop for me; I will drain you completely!"_

I sat up with a small cry and then pulled my covers round me tighter. My mind was working in overdrive; the dreams were becoming more vivid. Memories were working into my subconscious that escaped me when I tried to capture and hold them. I stretched and went through to the bathroom; a shower might help me lose the cloying sense of despair left over from his voice.

When I emerged, I towel dried my hair and pulled on a pair of jogging bottoms and a t-shirt, before picking up my phone. I hadn't been going to call him, but suddenly I needed his strong voice, the sense of safety he inspired in me.

"Jacob?"

"Bells! I wasn't expecting you to call. Are you ok? Has something happened?" His sudden concern brought tears to my eyes and I sniffed, a little too loudly as it happened. "Bella? Are you crying?"

"No... no, I'm fine. I just have a bit of a cold," I lied. "I just wanted to call and say hi."

"I heard what happened at the club, Bella, with that jerk Mike. One of my boys was in that night. Rest assured he's been taken care of," he snarled suddenly. I rolled my eyes.

"When you say taken care of, Jake..."

"No, we didn't kill him, Bells. But one of the boys gave him a taste of his own medicine. I cannot believe Hale allowed that to happen in his own club! What the hell was he thinking having you work that table? He knew Newton had a thing about you..."

"Jacob, James was here," I said, abruptly. There was complete silence on the end of the phone. "Jake?"

"I'm still here," he said, his voice sounding strangled. "Where did you see him?"

"He came to the club, but they threw him out straight away. Jake, I'm scared..."

"Don't be. Look, stay where you are; you're probably safer there than anywhere else. Me and the boys will put on some extra patrols..."

"But, Jake, you'll get hurt."

He barked a bitter laugh.

"I doubt that very much, Isabella. You look after yourself and I'll do the same. If he appears at the club again ring me, straight away. Ok?"

"Yes. Jake, promise you won't do anything dangerous," I said, softly.

"I'll ring you in a couple of days. Take care, Bells." And he hung up without another word. I stared at the receiver in my hand for a moment and then closed it, reluctantly. There was a knock at my door and I called come in, my eyes still on the phone I had dropped on the bed.

"Isabella." The voice like chocolate silk made me start violently and I turned to find myself face to face with a man's chest. I looked up to see him gazing down at me, a crooked smile on his face. I had not realised how tall he was, as before he had always been sitting, or leaning over me.

"Mr Cullen," I stammered. "What can I do for you?" My hand went up to my damp hair and I glanced down at my clothes, feeling the beginnings of a blush on my cheeks. Our conversation the previous night had been cut abruptly short by Alice walking over and dragging me from his table. She had spoken to him furiously and told me to clock off for the night, deciding I was in no condition to work. As I left the club, she was still haranguing him, but his eyes watched my every step.

He closed the door softly behind him and then sat down on my bed, patting the space beside him. With my heat thumping uncomfortably, I crossed the room and sat down, nervously. He reached across and touched my jaw lightly.

"I have come to personally apologise to you for the way one of my clients treated you the other night," he said. "I take my responsibility as owner of this club very seriously and I am most upset that one of my staff has been hurt while working for me."

"Thank you," I murmured, this having been the last thing I expected him to say.

"But I also have a responsibility to my business, Isabella. If you find the job too tiring, perhaps it is not the right line of work for you?" He looked away from me as he said this and I got the sense he was holding his breath.

"The work is not too tiring, sir," I said, trying to keep my voice calm, though I was panicking now that he might be on the verge of firing me.

"And I can't have someone working here who lies to me," he continued, keeping his gaze fixed on the window away from me. Tears sprang to my eyes immediately and I stared at him through wide eyes.

"Please sir, please, don't fire me!" I cried. "Please, Mr Cullen!"

He got to his feet and looked down at me, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"Then tell me the truth, Isabella."

My mind started to go into overdrive. Why on earth was he so certain I was lying? Why did he want to know about me? I remembered that night, how he had lurched away from me at the bar as if I had poisoned him and my own eyes narrowed.

"I got distracted because a customer had tipped a stool up as he was leaving and it landed on my foot. My foot was hurting and I couldn't understand why I had made him so angry, so I guess I was thinking about that instead of doing my duty!" I said. For a moment he stood completely still and then he threw back his head and laughed out loud. When he finally calmed down a little, his face switched to concern.

"God, did I hurt you?" he asked, his whole tone changing to worried.

Confused by his sudden mood swing, I didn't immediately reply. He dropped to his knees in front of the bed and took my foot in his hand, removing my shoe and my sock so he could look at it. Of course there wasn't a mark on it and I flinched at the expression on his face when he looked up.

"Collect your things and get out," he said, coldly, heading for the door.

"No... no... please, Mr Cullen, please... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Oh God, he'll kill me, he'll kill me..." There were tears streaming freely down my face now and as he went to grab the door handle, a sob escaped my lips. I turned from him, pressing my face into the pillow, weeping bitterly. A hand reached down to touch my shoulder, tentatively. I flinched away from it, but then he drew me up and cradled me against his chest.

"Hush, Isabella, hush," he said, gently. Once I was calm, I tried to pull away from him, my face burning with embarrassment, but he held me fast. "Who do you fear so much?"

"I need to wash my face," I mumbled, sniffing a little. He relaxed his grip and I got up, stumbling across to the bathroom. When I came out, he was sitting on the bed, staring into space. I stood by the door, feeling a little nervous at the expression on his face. Trying to ignore his presence, I went to the drawers and opened them, taking out the dress I had arrived in and the battered ballerina pumps I had not looked at since that first night. Mr Cullen watched me and then got to his feet, as he seemed to realise what I was doing.

"Isabella..."

"I'll be gone in five minutes."

"Isabella." This time there was an edge to his voice, which made me pause for a moment, but then I carried on finding the few items I had arrived at Twilight with. Before I knew what had happened, the bag I had been putting my bits into was ripped from my hands and I was sat on the bed. "Forgive me, I did not mean to dismiss you. I just don't appreciate being lied to."

"What difference does it make to you?" I demanded. "I've worked here now for four months and I work hard. I haven't caused trouble; I've done everything I've been asked to, including serving you so you could spy on me! And now because you want to know about something I don't want to discuss you dismiss me and... and...dammit!" I wiped at the tears that were forming again angrily. I didn't want to be a crying wreck in front of him anymore.

"You are right," he said, surprising me again. "I have been watching you for the last four months and you really are very good at your job. You have handled some difficult customers very well, including me I am ashamed to admit. And you are entitled to your secrets I suppose, if they do not interfere with your work."

"So, I don't have to go?" I asked, eventually, my hands finding the hem of my t-shirt and worrying it. He caught my hands in his and prevented me from pulling away.

"No, you do not have to go. But I will be watching you very closely, Isabella. Very closely."

And with that he left me alone. I sank down on the bed, clutching my bag in my hands and then set it to one side. His scent was on my clothes, where he had held me and I breathed in deeply.

"Isabella Swann," I muttered to myself. "He is not the right person to fall for."

But then I thought of the way he had come up to my room to apologise to me and the way he had held me when I cried and my heart skipped a beat.

"He was going to fire you too," I reminded myself. With a sigh, I got to my feet and put my things away. Perhaps I needed to put some distance between myself and Mr Cullen before I got in too deep. Relationships were not my forte and the memories of my most recent liaison caused a sensation like ice to run down my spine. I shook my head before tears or panic could build and picked my phone up to call Alice and ask what shift I was doing today. As I picked it up, I noticed a flashing envelope.

_I am coming for you my pet._


	8. Chapter 8

**_Just wanted to say a huge thank you for the positive reviews so far! A girl could get addicted to all the praise :-) Hope you continue to enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it x_**

CHAPTER 08

"Word of advice, Bella," said Rosalie several weeks later, when I was standing in front of the mirror applying the lip gloss she had lent me. I smacked my lips together and turned to her, with a smile.

"Go ahead," I said.

"Wear the blue dress instead."

"Really?" I asked, looking down at the red top and skirt I had put on.

"Yes, it suits you better. The skirt and top are nice too, but maybe for a different occasion."

I rolled my eyes. Alice had taken Rosalie and I shopping earlier, as she had promised us a night out the next time we weren't working. At first I had been reluctant, but Jacob had reported that James and his cronies were gone. No one had seen them since that fateful night in Twilight and the dreams I had been having had faded too. I changed quickly and Rosalie smiled.

"You picked that one yourself right?" she said.

"Well with Alice's help, of course."

"Of course," echoed Rosalie and grinned as Alice came through the door without knocking.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Just a small bistro I know. They do good food," she replied. We followed her out to the waiting taxi and I stared open mouthed when we pulled up outside the bistro. It was quite exclusive, with a veranda outside hung with twinkling fairy lights and vines. Inside the tables were small and the decor traditional French. We were shown to our table and Alice ordered a bottle of sauvignon blanc. As we sipped wine, I looked through the menu nervously. My high school language classes didn't help me too much with the all French menu. Alice ordered for the three of us though, which alleviated my concern. The food was beautiful and we chatted easily, mainly about Emmett and Rosalie's relationship.

"That was a lovely meal, Alice," I said, when our table was cleared. She had made it clear that the meal was her treat, despite mine and Rosalie's protests.

"Of course. Now, I think we should head to Bar Angelus. It's a very nice little bar that serves the best cocktails. Come on." She grabbed our hands and led us out onto the street. It was a fine evening and the moon was full overhead. Alice glanced up at it and then sighed, contentedly, as we reached the bar. The security on the door greeted her warmly and admitted us quickly. She led us to a table and we sat down as a waiter came to serve us. I looked through the cocktail menu and then ordered a Mai Tai. As we sipped at our drinks we giggled about some of the other people who had come in, in particular a group of young men who had been openly watching us since they arrived. One of them finally plucked up the courage to come over.

"Excuse me, I just wondered if you ladies would like a drink?" he said, a little nervously. We giggled and looked at each other.

"No, they wouldn't," said a cold voice and I looked up to see Mr Hale standing there, flanked by Emmett. The young man slunk away, quickly.

"Jasper! What a lovely surprise!" said Alice and looking at her flushed face I knew she meant it.

"Alice. Rosalie. Isabella." He nodded to each of us in turn and then took a seat. Emmett slid into the chair beside Rosalie and grabbed her hand quickly before Jasper could comment. "Are you enjoying your evening, ladies?"

"We were," said Rosalie, pointedly.

"You have something to say, sister?" said Jasper, directing his gaze to Rosalie, who met it with a challenging glare.

"Only that we _were_ having a girls' night out and now you've kind of gate-crashed, _brother._"

"You're not glad to see us?" said Emmett, looking deep into Rosalie's eyes, making her blush. She leaned forwards and kissed his lips.

"I'm pleased to see you," she replied.

"Ah, young love," said Alice, dreamily, while Mr Hale rolled his eyes.

"Edward, you made it!" said Emmett, suddenly getting up. I looked up to see Emmett pumping Mr Cullen's hand and flushed. I had successfully avoided him after the embarrassing episode in my bedroom, only glimpsing him occasionally in the bar at night. I felt my heart rate accelerate and Alice half turned to look at me, almost as if she had heard it.

Mr Cullen slid into a seat opposite me and his eyes found mine, but I ducked away before he could hold my gaze. The conversation bubbled around me, but I couldn't focus, feeling him watching me. Suddenly it was too much and I sprang to my feet. The others looked at me, puzzled and I forced a smile on my lips.

"I'll be right back," I said, then headed for the ladies room as quickly as I could. Once inside, I took a few cleansing breaths. My head was spinning a little from the alcohol and from Mr Cullen's sudden presence. I splashed some water on my face and then steeled myself to return to the table. When I came out, he was waiting for me.

"Isabella," he said.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"You were taking a long time. I wanted to check you were alright," he replied, smoothly.

"Fine, thank you," I said, quietly. "But I might head home. I think I had too much to eat and drink."

"You are not going on your own," said Mr Cullen, firmly. "I will escort you."

"Maybe I'll just wait for the girls," I muttered, going to walk away from him. Mr Cullen reached across and took hold of my arm. A look of irritation flitted across his face.

"Isabella, what is your problem with me?" he asked.

"Problem? I don't have a problem," I said. In truth, he made me very nervous. For the last few weeks, while I had avoided his physical presence, he had consumed my thoughts. And I had had some very disturbing dreams about running my fingers through his mess of bronze hair, feeling his lips pressed to mine, as his hands ran up my back. I had a major league crush on my boss and I was well aware that that was not a good thing.

"Then why have you been avoiding me these last few weeks? Even tonight, away from work, you treat me like some sort of... pariah! What have I done to upset you so much?" He ran a hand through his hair and I watched it, biting my lip. "Is it because I told you that you were sacked? I didn't mean that; I just said it in the heat of the moment and I thought we had sorted it out. Or did I do something else to offend you?"

"I... I guess sometimes you're just a bit... confusing," I eventually managed to stammer.

"Confusing?"

"Just, I never know where I am with you. Sometimes you look at me like you really hate me and I don't know what I've done wrong..."

"Hate you?" He laughed, darkly. "Nothing could be further from the truth, Isabella. You fascinate me. I had seen you before that first night you waited on my table and I wanted nothing more than to have you at my beck and call. The first night you served me I had not f... I was unwell." He paused and I had a feeling he had meant to say something different. "After that, I tried to be genial, because I had seen how that group of idiots on the stag do treated you that night. I hated that they had made you cry."

"Why did you storm out the night I was attacked?" I asked, choosing my words deliberately and almost enjoying seeing him flinch at them.

"Because if I had stayed, I would have ripped Newton's arm off and fed it to him," he replied, darkly. I shivered.

"Oh." What else could I say to that?

"Isabella, he was having the most vile thoughts about what he was going to do to you and you had no idea. You just kept smiling and serving his drinks... I thought you were enjoying his attention." I felt some curiosity about his comment about Mike's thoughts, but it was over-ridden by my indignation at his closing remark.

"Enjoying Michael Newton's attention?" I laughed out loud. "The guy is a total jerk. I hate him and I am very glad he is banned from Twilight so I never have to see him again. Do you know he got Jess in trouble? Well of course you know; you had Emmett deal with _her_ when it was him at fault. So much for looking after your girls..."

"Stop right there," he said, leaning in close to me, his breath on my face. "Jessica knew full well that she was breaking company rules when she invited him up to her room. I make no exceptions, Isabella."

"What if it had been me?" I asked, a little breathlessly. He got even closer and trailed a long finger along my cheek, making me shiver. His lips came so close to mine that if I had leaned forwards we would have been touching.

"If I caught you with a client in your room, I would deal with the client first and then with you. Personally." I shivered at his dark tone and tried to take a step back, but he held me fast, breathing in deeply.

"I wouldn't take a client to my room, Mr Cullen," I said, trying to distract him, as his face moved to my throat, agonisingly close to my flesh. He didn't respond and I shivered again, my hands starting to tremble. Mr Cullen straightened abruptly and looked down at me; his eyes a little dark.

"No, Isabella, I am quite sure you wouldn't. Go back to the table. I will get you a glass of water; you look a little flushed."

When I reached the table, I was surprised to see that Rosalie and Emmett were gone and Alice was standing beside Jasper, her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Bella, do you mind if I go back with Jazz?" asked Alice. "I'm sure Edward will take you home."

"No, of course not," I said, not feeling in a position to argue. After all she had paid for our evening and should feel free to go home whenever she wanted.

"Emmett took Rosalie back earlier. Think she'd had too much to drink. Night, Bella." Alice gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and left me alone at the table. Mr Cullen appeared just after they had gone and handed me the water. I took it from him and sipped it, watching him nervously.

"The others have gone," I said, after a brief, awkward silence.

"So I see. Jasper had better look after my little sister," he said.

"Alice is your sister?" I asked. He nodded and I took another gulp of water. "Mr Cullen..."

"Edward," he said. "Please, Isabella, call me Edward. We are not in work after all."

"Edward." I tried his name and smiled, liking the feel of it on my lips. The expression on his face suggested he liked it too. "How did you know where we were tonight?"

"Alice likes to give me an itinerary of her plans, so I always know where she is. Makes her feel safe I guess."

"Oh. Why did you come?"

He shrugged.

"Jasper wanted to see Alice, Emmett wanted to see Rosalie and I wanted to see you."

I flushed, but he looked perfectly composed, as he leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs until his feet touched mine. A sense of warmth spread through me at his physical closeness and I couldn't help my lips curving into a smile.

"Why would you want to see me?" I asked, earning me a small smile from across the table.

"Because you are beautiful and very pleasing to the eye," he replied, flippantly. He laughed at the expression on my face. "And because I actually enjoy your company, Isabella."

"Bella," I corrected. "My friends call me Bella."

"Ah, I am your friend now, Bella?" he said, but his grin widened. I smiled back, a little shyly.

"Sure, we're not in work, like you said, Edward."

"Tell me then, Bella, what brought you to Twilight?" I looked across at him and sighed, not wanting to go down this line of conversation jus as I had started to relax.

"My friend Jacob brought me to meet Mr Hale and he gave me the job," I said.

"Bella, why were you looking for a job at Twilight?" The subtle re-phrasing of the question made me flush a little.

"Jacob had heard they looked after their girls. He's a good friend."

"Just a friend though, right?" asked Edward. I smiled at the hurried question.

"Just a friend," I agreed. "Jake and I grew up together. After my dad passed away, I had a difficult time and then I moved in with Jake for a bit before he found me the job here."

The heavily edited version of my road to Twilight seemed to satisfy him for now though and he simply nodded. I stifled a yawn and Edward smiled at me, sympathetically.

"You look tired, Bella. Would you like me to take you home?"

"Yes, please," I said, softly. I got up and he tucked my hand into his arm, comfortably and then led me outside. Unfortunately, as soon as the air hit me, the alcohol seemed to rush back to my head too. He led me to a silver Volvo and opened the passenger door for me. I settled in as he got in beside me.

"Put your seatbelt on," he said, as he sat down.

"Yes, boss," I giggled. He quirked an eyebrow at me and shook his head, but I still fastened my belt. Edward drove very quickly, but I felt completely safe with him, even though he occasionally seemed to spend more time watching me from the corner of his eye than actually watching the road. By the time we reached the apartment block behind Twilight, I was feeling very sleepy and more than a little intoxicated. Edward came round and opened my door for me and then placed his arm around my waist. He escorted me to my room, stepping inside behind me and closing the door softly.

"Be careful," I warned him, in a stage whisper. "If my boss catches you in here, he'll sort us both out!" I giggled again, feeling the alcohol floating through my system again.

"You need to get into bed, sleep it off, Isabella or your boss really will sort you out," he retorted, grabbing my arm when I stumbled trying to unfasten my shoes. Once they were off, I collapsed on my back on the bed, looking up at him, dreamily, before my eyes started to close.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Big thanks to Fakin' It for giving me a hand with the summary... is it just me or are they really hard to write? So thank you for the advice and support for a relative newbie :-) **_

CHAPTER 09

"_Did you think I was gone, my pet? I have been watching you very closely. Edward Cullen is dangerous, Isabella, far more so than I. I am warning you, for your own safety to stay away from him. I watched you last night, letting him put his arm around your waist. His hands belong nowhere on your person! You are mine, Isabella! And I am coming for you. Even now, as you lay sleeping, I am watching... waiting. Remember what I am, Isabella. Remember what I can do to you if you do not do as I say..."_

I sat up with a small cry of fear and then tried to work out what the piercing sound was that had woken me. Finally my eyes fell upon the mobile phone on the floor next to the bed and I picked it up, sleepily.

"Hello?"

"Bella? I need you to listen to me carefully and whatever you do, don't panic," said Jacob. My grip on the phone automatically tightened.

"What is it? Is it him?" I asked, a little breathlessly.

"I said don't panic, Bells," he said, with an exasperated sigh. "You have to make sure you stay at the club for the next few days; don't even go out in the garden. And when you're inside, stay with someone. Preferably that bear Emmett."

"And you don't want me to panic?" I gasped.

"Ok, I know. I don't want you to panic, but I know you will do. James has been spotted in town again or at least someone who matches his description. The only bit I couldn't verify was the red eyes."

"Whereabouts in town?" I asked.

"Near the club," he said, eventually. "As long as you stay inside, you'll be fine."

"Do you think I should say something to someone here?" I asked.

"No! No, Bella. That could make the whole situation a whole lot more dangerous. My pack... my boys that is will sort this. We don't need interference from the Hales or the Cullens. I put you there because they will keep you safe from anything; they don't need to know the specifics."

"Ok, I won't say anything. Jake, I'm scared," I whispered.

"I know, sweetheart, I know," he said. "But we won't let him get to you."

When I hung up, I felt tears burning my eyes for a moment, before my stomach turned over and I rushed to the bathroom. When I was done, I picked up my phone in trembling hands and dialled Alice's number.

"Alice?"

"Bella, are you ok? You sound awful!" she said.

"Actually, I don't feel too good. I'm sorry, but I don't think I can work tonight," I said, trying to keep the tremor from my voice.

"Do you want me to come up?" she asked.

"No, no, I'll be fine. I'm just going to go back to bed. I'm sorry."

"Stop apologising, Bella. Just get back to bed and I will come up tomorrow morning."

I thanked her and hung up. Within minutes of me putting the phone down, there was a knock at the door. I rolled my eyes; I had told her not to come up. I opened the door, ready to tell her, but it was Edward that walked in. He looked at me closely.

"You aren't well?" he queried.

"Just a bit sick," I stammered. His cold hand came to my brow and he narrowed his eyes.

"You have a fever. You should be in bed."

"I was going to bed, but someone knocked on my door," I pointed out. Edward simply glared at me, before taking my arm and guiding me back to the bed. He pulled the covers over me and then went through to the bathroom to fetch me a glass of water.

"You need to keep hydrated if you have been sick," he said.

"Thanks Dr Cullen," I muttered.

"That would be my father," he replied. I didn't respond to this, feeling another wave of nausea, but luckily it wasn't strong enough for me to actually be sick. "What has caused this? Have you eaten something you shouldn't have? Or caught a bug?"

"I... I don't know. I was sick earlier, but I don't think I will be again," I said, wanting to reassure him as he seemed more concerned than I was. But then I knew what had caused this; anxiety about James coming for me.

"Do you want me to go?" he said, suddenly getting up from the bed, as if it had occurred to him that he had barged his way into my room and pushed me forcibly into my sickbed. But the idea of being alone didn't appeal much, even if it did mean him seeing me in this state.

"No," I grabbed his hand. "Please, will you stay a bit? Unless you've somewhere else to be..."

"No, I have nowhere else to be," said Edward, sitting down again, stroking my hair back from my face, gently. We stayed in the same place in silence for a while, him absently stroking my hair and me dozing, until my phone ringing broke through the tranquillity. I picked it up, checking the ID and flinched; it was Jacob.

"Jake?" Edward looked away as I answered my phone, getting up to give me the illusion of privacy.

"Bella, we have tracked him to Forks. He's gone back to your dad's old place. We can't get in there; he's got it well and truly secured."

"Why would he go there?" I asked, feeling those waves of nausea threatening again.

"He's playing mind games, Bella. He knows the anniversary is coming up soon and he's probably hoping you'll head home..."

"But I don't even own that house anymore..."

"Like he cares! Bells, he thinks you'll head back to the area. You have done the previous two years, so..."

"Oh God, Jake, you think he's been watching me ever since Dad...?"

Jacob sighed deeply at the other end of the phone and I chewed on my lip, my hand worrying at the bed-sheet.

"Just stay where you are. A few of my guys are patrolling down that way..."

"Will you be safe?"

"Don't worry about me, Bells. I can handle myself. Just stay inside, ok?"

"Ok," I agreed, softly. I hung up and only then did I look up at Edward, who was watching me through eyes that I was certain had been golden brown when he came in, but were now the deepest black I had ever seen.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Before I could take a hesitant step back, he moved across the room with unnatural speed and took hold of my upper arms, forcing me to look up at him.

"What is going on? Who is James?" he demanded.

"Edward, you're hurting me," I whimpered, though he wasn't. The intensity of his gaze made me anxious to put a little distance between us; I felt like he was trying to read my mind. His grip on my arms eased a little, but he didn't let go.

"Isabella, who is James?" He practically snarled the question at me this time and I leaned back from him a little.

"He... he is the reason I am here," I whispered. "He is the reason for everything that has happened."

"I can't read your thoughts, Bella, tell me what you mean. The reason for what happening?" Edward's grip tightened momentarily, but when I gasped, he let go of me altogether and took a step back, his eyes flitting down to my arms and then back to my face. I was silent, chewing my lip, trying to find the words to explain what I meant. "Bella, tell me." His voice was gentler now and when I looked up, his eyes were not quite as dark.

"James is the one that killed my dad." The words sounded as if someone else had spoken them.

"What?" Edward sounded stunned and I glanced up at him.

"James killed my dad and it was my fault," I murmured, so quietly that he shouldn't have heard me. Suddenly, Edward's arms were around me, pulling me close to his chest, as tears sprang to my eyes and I began to sob, bitterly.

When I had calmed a little, Edward told me he would fetch me a cup of tea. He was back more quickly than should have been possible, but I didn't question it; just took the cup from him and held it in my trembling hands. Edwards hands came down and covered mine, stopping me from slopping the scalding tea down myself. I glanced across at him and saw that he was watching me closely.

"Will you tell me what happened?" he asked, softly, when my trembling eased a little. I sipped my tea and nodded.

"If you promise you won't hate me afterwards," I said. Edward laughed, darkly, but then brought my hand to his lips.

"Bella, I could never hate you," he replied. I gave him a watery smile and then took a deep breath.

"It started about four years ago," I began...

_... "That guy has been checking you out since we got here, Bells," laughed Lottie. I looked at her and smiled, ducking my head embarrassed._

"_No way. I mean look at him! He's way out of my league," I replied, glancing up through my eyelashes at the blonde haired man sat at the table across from ours. He was wearing shades which made it difficult to tell what he was looking at and a black t-shirt. His biceps bulged from the short sleeves and it looked like it was sculpted to his muscular chest. He had an easy face, a gentle smile on his lips and his blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail._

"_You should go talk to him," she said. I got up slowly and stretched._

"_Maybe I will," I said, over my shoulder, as I headed out the back to put my apron on and pick up my notepad. It was the summer break and despite Dad saying I didn't need to, I had gotten a job at the local cafe, just waitressing, but it would give me some spends. I enjoyed it for the most part; Lottie who I worked with was a lot of fun and the cafe was just busy enough that time passed quickly, without it becoming so busy you forgot your orders. Joe who owned the place was pleasant enough too, so overall it was a good place to work._

_I approached the blonde's table, a little nervously._

"_Good afternoon, sir, can I take your order?" I said. He looked up and smiled at me, warmly._

"_Just a black coffee, please... Isabella." The pause while he read my nametag. I smiled._

"_Coming right up," I said, going over to the coffee-maker. Lottie winked at me and I rolled my eyes before I headed back to the table. He watched me place the cup on the table and then smiled up at me again._

"_So, Isabella, tell me, what time does your shift finish?" he asked. I felt a warm blush spread up my face._

"_About three hours I'm afraid," I replied. _

"_I'll have to drink a lot of coffee then," he said, with a laugh._

"_Oh. My. God!" cried Lottie when I went back to the kitchen and told her what had happened. "Seriously Bells, he is gorgeous! I am so jealous!"_

"_I don't think he'll wait three hours for me to finish my shift," I said with a laugh, but he did. When my shift was done, he was sat at the same table, his shades still covering his eyes, despite the fact it was no longer light outside. I didn't question it though; I was too absorbed with the fact he had waited three hours for me._

"_So, Isabella, tell me, what do you like to do when you are not working in the cafe?" he asked, as we walked down the street outside. I glanced across at him, shyly._

"_I don't know. Reading I guess, hanging out with friends. Have you been to La Push? It's lovely there." He seemed to stiffen but then he smiled._

"_No, I am not a big fan of the beach scene. I prefer cities. Seattle is a good place to be this time of year."_

"_I don't go there a lot," I admitted._

"_You should. There are some excellent bookshops that I think you would enjoy," he replied. "Perhaps you would allow me to take you there on your day off?"_

"_I don't know..."_

"_Oh come on; it'll be fun. I can show you the delights that Seattle has to offer," he said._

"_I don't even know your name," I said._

"_James," he replied, smoothly. "Now you know my name. When are you off work next?"_

"_Tuesday," I replied._

"_Excellent. We shall make it a date."_

"James was very persuasive and soon I found myself spending every minute I wasn't in the cafe with him. He would be there when I came out from my shift, always wearing his shades. I plucked up the courage to ask him about them once and he replied that he had a problem with sunlight or bright lights of any kind and so they were an unfortunate necessity. At the time, I took him at his word, even apologised for asking." I flushed at the memory. Edward was sat beside me now on the bed, but he was leaning forwards, his body language very stiff.

"What was wrong with his eyes?" he asked.

"I only saw them once. They were red; not like bloodshot though. Just red. Do you know what I mean?"

Edward looked away from me and nodded, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

"So what happened? How did he go from being a man you dated to the killer of your father?" he asked.

I paled a little and Edward took my hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

"We had been together about six months and he asked me to move in with him. I was really excited. Dad liked him a lot and even though he thought it was quick, James persuaded him that it would be a good thing for me to have a bit of independence. He promised to look after me. But just weeks after I'd moved in he began acting very strangely. He would disappear for days at a time and then act like nothing had happened. When I asked where he had been, he would get really snappy with me, tell me to stop being so clingy..."

_... "Bella, I am fed up of the questions all the time. If you do not trust me I cannot see that this relationship can continue," he spat, walking away from me and flopping down on the sofa. His skin, which was always pale, looked almost white. I felt a wave of panic; I couldn't stomach the idea of him leaving me._

"_I'm sorry, it's just you don't look well and I thought you might want to stay in..."_

"_Well I don't. I am going out. You will stay here." _

_I didn't argue. James easily persuaded me that it was better to just do what he said without arguing. But then Lottie rang. She had split up with her boyfriend and was in a bit of a state. She wanted me to go round and see her._

"_I... I'm not sure. James said..."_

"_Bella, please," she wailed. "I really need some company. Come on!"_

"_Ok," I said, eventually. James was away; he didn't need to know I'd gone out. When I got round to Lottie's, she was on her third glass of wine and beginning to wind up for the night. And she was desperate to get out of the flat she had been sharing with her ex up until that night when he walked out saying he had had "a better offer". There was a new club opening in town and she asked if we could go. I was dubious. I had already come out when he had told me to stay at the flat, but after a glass or two of wine at Lottie's I was a bit more pliable and agreed that a girls' night out was what we both needed. We headed into town and spent the next four hours drinking and dancing. It turned out to be a really good night and by the time we were done, we were both well and truly inebriated._

_The taxi dropped Lottie off first and then pulled up outside my flat. James was standing in the doorway when I got there. He ripped the door back so hard that I thought it would come off and then dragged me out. The driver got out and asked if I was ok, but before I could respond, James threw me on the floor and attacked him._

"I never saw anything like it," I murmured, my eyes glazing over at the memory. "He grabbed the guy by the throat and sort of twisted his head round. The man was shouting and then everything went silent. When I looked again, James' face was covered in blood and he was snarling like an animal. I was so scared... I tried to get up, to run away, but he grabbed my arm before I got more than a step and dragged me up to the flat..."

_... "Please, James, let go. Please, you're hurting me."_

"_I told you to stay here. Where the hell have you been?"_

"_Just at Lottie's," I said._

"_Where else?"_

"_We... we went to a club in town. She split up with Rob and..."_

"_I don't give a shit about your friend's pathetic little dramas," he growled. "What I care about is the fact that you didn't do what I told you to."_

"_James, your face... you're covered in blood... what did you do to that man?"_

"_What I did to that man is your damned fault, Isabella. Now, get in the bedroom." He didn't give me much option as he threw me into the bedroom. I heard the key turn in the lock and knew I was trapped. The front door slammed shut and I went to the window to see James dragging the taxi driver's body into the car. I must have been more drunk than I realised, because I thought he lifted the taxi up and threw it. The next thing the car was wrapped around a tree and a fire started. James appeared below the window then though, so I backed away; I didn't want him to see me watching him. He left me locked in the room for three days, without food. We had an en-suite luckily, so I could have water..._

... "Luckily?" Edward got to his feet and began pacing angrily, his fists clenching and unclenching. "He locked you away for three days? Did he hurt you?" I glanced away from him and stopped myself from touching my stomach, just before Edward's eyes narrowed on my hand. I shook my head, not quite ready to divulge all the details of my relationship with James to him.

_... When he let me out, James behaved as if nothing had happened. Things carried on for a month or so, with him disappearing for days at a time again. But I didn't go out again if he told me not to. Sometimes he would lock me in the bedroom to stop me going out, even if he was in the flat. Work got worried because I kept not turning up. Lottie rang Dad, thinking maybe I'd gone back there, but I hadn't. I was locked in the bedroom, because James hadn't been happy with something I said. He had been going out and told me I couldn't go out, but I had a shift at the cafe. When I tried to tell him, he locked me in the bedroom. I don't know how long I was there for, but by the time Dad came round and broke into the flat I could barely crawl. He found me in the en-suite, collapsed by the shower and before I knew it, he had gathered all my stuff together and shoved it in a bag and was leading me out to his car._

"_You are never going back there, Bella," he said, as we pulled away. He wanted to take me to hospital, but I told him I just needed water, food and rest. I was crying by the time he got me home; mainly shock I guess that James had gone from being a sweet, good natured boyfriend, to being an aggressive, domineering captor. When we got home, Dad made me sweet tea and some toast and made up my old room for me. We heard nothing from James for a week, but then he contacted me on my mobile phone._

"_Isabella, if you do not take yourself back to the flat, I can promise you that you will regret it," he said, smoothly._

"_Why can't you just leave me alone, James? It was obviously a mistake us moving in. You don't want to be with me..."_

"_You're right, Isabella. I don't want to be with you; I want to own you."_

"_I'm not a toy..."_

"_That is where you are wrong. You most certainly are a toy; a quite delectable toy. I savour your scent every day... one day I plan on doing more than just breathing in your perfume... having a small taste every now and again. One day I will completely drain you..."_

_At this point I hung up on him and switched my phone off. I had no idea what he meant by drain me, but I had heard enough of his threats. Foolishly, I thought I was safe, because my dad was chief of police; I didn't think he could hurt me._

... "Dad's deputy arrived later that night. He said Dad had been killed in action..." I broke off, swallowing the tidal wave of grief that threatened to consume me. Edward sat back down beside me and placed an arm around my shoulder, cradling me against him. "They said he had been involved in a car chase and the car had been wrapped round a tree when they found it. Dad had some weird puncture wounds on his neck, but they couldn't tell me what they were. They thought maybe a branch or something..." I shook my head as the memory refused to hold and then looked down at my hands. "James sent me a text that night, saying I should have gone back to him."

"Did you see him again after that?" asked Edward.

"He came round to the house, but Jacob was usually there. For some reason, he would never come near Jake; I think he made him nervous." I laughed, humourlessly. "But then things got really bad and I ended up on the streets for a few months. I just kind of drifted until Jake found me and took me back to his ranch. Then he got me the job here."

"So you haven't seen him since he locked you in the bedroom?"

I shook my head and looked across at him, a little nervously.

"Just once. That night when Mike Newton attacked me... I lost my focus because he appeared at the door of the club."

Edward sighed deeply and I saw his eyes darken, his jaw line set in anger, but his embrace remained gentle. He leaned down and his lips touched my head.

"I wish you had told me, Bella." His voice was tight with the anger I could see on his face.

"I... I'm sorry," I stammered and he sighed again.

"No, I am sorry. I behaved like a child that night, storming out because you gave someone else your attention. Had I been there, James would not have come into Twilight and you would not have been attacked. Bella, please, forgive me."

And then I realised his anger was not directed at me; it was directed at himself.

"No. No. Edward, please, don't blame yourself. I should have told you; I shouldn't have just kept it all as a secret. It is completely my fault; not yours. Please, don't be angry."

I turned his face to look at me; saw the shame in his expression and I couldn't look at it; I couldn't let him feel that way about himself. Slowly, I leaned towards him and pressed my lips to his. His eyes widened momentarily and then he closed them and I felt his breath against my mouth. I went to move away from him, but he stopped me, his hand gently pressing against the back of my head until our lips came together again. His kiss was gentle at first, like snowflakes fluttering against me. But then his kisses became more impassioned until I was gasping for breath. He leaned back, resting his forehead against mine and looked deep into my eyes, his lips curved in a crooked smile.

"I am glad Jacob sent you to me, Isabella," he said, softly. "I promise you, I will keep you safe; nothing will hurt you while I am here."

"What if you're not here?" I asked tremulously.

"I will always be here. I will never leave you," he promised, before he enveloped me again in his strong arms.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Thank you to those of you that have added my story to your favourites and/or alerts. The good news is... I have finished it! I' d really appreciate some more reviews; let me know what you think so far and I will get posting the next chapters. Also want to address a couple of things..._**

**_Jacob signed Bella's contract because otherwise she wouldn't have got the job at Twilight... the reasons will become clear later in the story._**

**_And Jasper... don't be too hard on him. He's a tough vampire, sort of no-nonsense and maybe takes himself a little too seriously. Look out for his softer side later on though (yes he does have one!). Emmett will improve too once you get to know him. Remember you are seeing everything through Bella's eyes and she's a bit jumpy to say the least. As she gets to know them all a bit better, she sees the good in them and vice versa. I have a real soft spot for Emmett; he's like a big kid and he does have Rosalie to keep him on his toes ;-) _**

**_Well, back to the story... enjoy..._**

CHAPTER 11

"_I know you think he is perfect, my pet, and you believe that he will never leave you. If only you knew what he is, what he is capable of. How many people must warn you that he is dangerous, Isabella? Far more so than I ever was. Everything I did was to keep you with me. You know I cannot live without you. This existence is too hard to bear. Remember how I loved you. Remember how I made you feel so special; as if you were the only woman in the world. In my eyes you were. I loved you so much Isabella. I still could if you would come back to me. I know you feel something for me, that some part of you misses me and wishes I was still in your life. Edward will leave you. Trust me, he will be gone within the week and you will be alone. And when you are alone, then I will come for you and you will return to me."_

It took some effort to put James from my thoughts, but I managed to get myself basically back to normal, working in the club again. Even though Edward was permanently in the bar area when I was waitressing, his golden eyes never leaving me. It made my heart thump when I would glance up and see his eyes fixed on me. The only time it made me a little uncomfortable was when I was serving a rowdier table and I would see him having to restrain himself, knocking back Jack Daniels as if it were lemonade.

"Edward, relax," I murmured, as I approached the bar. He tipped his head back and glared down his nose at me.

"If you knew what that man is thinking..."

"He's probably thinking, I wish that damned waitress would hurry up with my drinks before I die of thirst," I said, lightly. His hand locked round my arm and he pulled me close to him.

"Do not refer to yourself as 'that damned waitress'," he said, quietly. I stepped back out of his grip and forced myself to make light of his concerns despite the increase in my heart rate.

"Chill, Edward. It's not like you know what they're thinking either; you're just assuming," I said, grabbing my tray full of drinks and heading back to the table. He made a noise that sounded like a growl and I shivered before delivering the drinks, with a big smile. Emmett came up behind me.

"Emmett, what's wrong with Edward tonight?" I asked, softly. Emmett glanced over his shoulder at Edward, who had stiffened at the bar and seemed to be giving him a warning look. I dismissed the thought; he was too far away to have heard me.

"You should focus on work, Bella," he replied, glancing over his shoulder at Edward behind us.

"Will you tell him to relax? He's making me nervous," I said. Emmett smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You and me both," he said. But I saw him head to the bar area and speak in an urgent whisper to Edward, who looked irritated for a moment, but then nodded curtly and walked away from the bar towards me. He paused at my side and looked at me, his eyes almost pure black. For a moment I thought he would speak, but then he moved away, swiftly. I shivered but got back to work straight away, trying not to think about what had gotten into him.

When my shift was done, Rosalie asked me back to her room for a nightcap. We sat on her bed, holding glasses of red wine and chatting amiably.

"How are things with Emmett?" I asked her. She smiled, placed her wineglass on her bedside table and flopped onto her back, a dreamy smile on her lips.

"Perfect, just perfect," she replied. "Even Jasper seems to approve, which is the first time he has ever approved of something I have done."

I laughed.

"He's not that bad is he?" I asked, curiously. I had never had any siblings; Jacob was the closest I had to a brother.

"Jasper is very... old fashioned," she said, eventually. "He brought me up, after our parents died. I don't remember them too well, but Jazz was always there. We weren't exactly close while I was growing up; he sort of intimidated me a bit if I'm honest, but once I was of an age..." She paused and seemed to correct herself. "... I'd finished school I kind of went off the rails. If it hadn't been for Jasper, I probably would have been dead."

"Why, what happened?" I asked, my eyes widening.

"I fell in love, with the wrong man. Went so far as getting engaged. One night he took me to a party and he got very, very drunk. He was a mean drunk and so were the friends we had gone out with, all his friends, all men. They took me to a backstreet and..." She broke off, tears forming in her eyes. I took her hand.

"You don't have to tell me, Rose," I murmured. She smiled, a little bitterly, sitting up.

"No, it's fine. Two of his friends pinned me down while he assaulted me. When he was done, he asked who wanted to go next. I think I must have blacked out because the next thing I remember is screaming; men screaming. You ever hear a man scream? It's the worst sound ever." I thought about the taxi driver James had killed and nodded, remembering how the sound had terrified me. "When I opened my eyes, Jasper was lifting me up. He carried me home, cleaned me up and kept me with him. When he opened Twilight with Edward I came with them and I've been here ever since."

She stared into space for a moment and then got up from the bed, quickly, taking a cigarette from a packet by the window ad hopping up onto the ledge. As she lit up, I got slowly to my feet.

"I'm sorry, Rose," I murmured. She smiled and blew out a perfect smoke ring.

"Yeah well, if it hadn't happened, maybe I would have married the scumbag and then I would never have come here and I would never have met Emmett." She shrugged. "Anyway, Bella, it's late. I'm going to finish this and turn in."

"Ok. Night, Rose." I leaned up and pecked her on the cheek. She smiled down at me, a little sadly.

"Night, Bella." I gave her one last glance, before I shut the door; my perfect friend sitting with her legs stretched in front of her, gazing thoughtfully out of the window. I hurried down the corridor to my own room, digging in my bag for the key. Gratefully I closed the door behind me and flipped the switch, then nearly screamed as I came face to face with a man's chest.

"Shit!" I exclaimed, a hand over my heart. Edward took a step back, running an agitated hand through his hair.

"Language, Isabella," he said, sternly. "Where have you been? Your shift finished two hours ago!"

"I was just with Rosalie..."

"You were supposed to be in here," he growled. His eyes were still dark, but not black like they had been in the club.

"Edward, are you ok? You seem really on edge tonight," I said, suddenly worried by how jittery he was.

"I would be fine if you would just do what you are asked to for once."

I felt a tremor run through me at his words, visions of being locked away by James filling my mind.

"S... sorry," I stammered. I felt my heart rate speed up a little as he crossed the room towards me and then stopped abruptly when I flinched, covering my stomach and stepped back. He blinked rapidly and his eyes were golden brown again.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he said. "I just came up here when I knew your shift was finished and when you weren't here... I was worried. I did not mean to frighten you." Tentatively, he reached across to me and I let him fold me in his arms. He dropped a kiss on my head and sighed into my hair.

"Did you know what happened to Rosalie?" I asked, after a moment. He leaned back a little so he could look down at my face and then nodded, knowing precisely what I was referring to.

"Yes. I was with Jasper when he found her."

"Oh." Suddenly his concern about my whereabouts made a lot more sense. "I'm sorry, I should have text you or something, but I figured as I was still in the building it wouldn't matter."

"Forgive me, Bella, I do not wish to make you feel like my prisoner. I know what he did to you. I just want to make sure you are safe."

"I know," I murmured. Edward took a step back and I sat down on the edge of the bed, as he started to pace again. Finally he stopped and looked down at me.

"Bella, I have to go away for a few days," he said.

"B... but you said you wouldn't leave me!" I cried, panicked. James' words rushed into my head from the night before and I felt suddenly light headed.

_He will leave you, Isabella._

"I know. I promise you will be safe. Emmett and Jasper are aware of the situation regarding James. I hope you do not mind that I told them, but I was concerned about your safety when I am not here. It will be three days, Bella, that is all and then I will be back and I will spend every waking moment with you."

I was silent for a long time, just looking up at him, wordlessly.

"Where are you going?" I asked, eventually, trying to push James' voice from my head.

"I can't tell you, Bella," he said. I felt tears pricking at my eyes. "Please, don't cry. Bella, I can't stand to see you cry. I promise I will be back. And you will be safe if you just stay in here..." He took a step towards me, but I dodged him and headed into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

"Bella!"

"Go to hell, Edward!" I snapped.

"Bella, please..." I bit my lip, trying to ignore the desperation in his tone. I couldn't be with someone who disappeared for days at a time again, or someone who demanded I stay in my room. How had I not seen it before? How had I not seen the similarities with James? Even the body language; the strange eyes, the quick movements, the physical strength.

_Yes, my pet. He is just like me._

A shiver ran through me, as I wondered about the way he looked at me sometimes; the intensity of that gaze. Sometimes he gave me that feeling that James used to; being totally enthralled; being his possession.

"Just go, Edward," I whispered, certain he would not hear me, but then I heard my bedroom door open and close. I peeped out of the bathroom door and saw that he was gone.

_And now my fair Isabella, you are alone._

I bit back a painful sob and threw myself on the bed, as the certainty that I could not go through this again flooded my mind. I needed to get away, before he could come back and charm me into believing he wouldn't treat me as James had. He already was treating me that way; only telling me what he wanted to and treating me as his prisoner. I needed to be free; free of James and free of Edward Cullen.

**_Just a quick note to ask if you would be so kind as to review :-) Poor Bella; my heart ached for her when I wrote this. What would you do in her shoes? _**


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Taking a deep breath, I picked up my phone and automatically dialled Jacob's number, wanting to hear his voice.

"Hey, Bells," he said. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good," I said, forcing some cheeriness into my voice. "How are things in Forks?"

"If you mean James, he's still holed up in your dad's place. I don't think he realised that it would become a prison for him when he shut himself in there. The boys have surrounded the place; he has no way out."

"So, theoretically, if I wanted to go out, would I be safe?" I asked, a little hesitantly.

"Sure, Bells. Where you thinking of going?"

"I just... Alice and Rosalie were thinking of us having a girls' night again..."

"That sounds great. Just do me a favour though, Bella."

"Of course."

"Tell me where you're heading so we can keep half an eye on you."

"Right. We're going to Bar Angelus again," I said, willing him to believe me, even as I crossed my fingers.

"What day? What time?" I could hear him tapping on his keyboard as he spoke.

"Are you typing this out?" I asked him.

"Just e-mailing the details to some of my boys in that area," he replied.

"Oh. Well, it'll be tomorrow night at nine," I said, glancing down at my crossed fingers a little guiltily.

"Great. I might even stop by myself," he said.

"That would be nice." I didn't question him about his boys. Jacob and I had established while I lived with him that he had a lot of contacts, but that side of his life was private. I had accepted that at the time, but now I felt a twinge of curiosity. "Jake, these boys of yours... they are safe aren't they?"

"Come on, Bells, of course they're not," he said, with a dry chuckle. "But they won't hurt you or your friends; they'll just protect you if necessary. You won't even know they are there. Ok?"

"Sure," I replied. I hated lying to him, but what I really had planned was not the kind of thing I wanted to tell my best friend;he would kill me. As I hung up, I sighed deeply. I had never really been impulsive before, but before I could over-think what I was doing, I grabbed my bag from under the bed and started stuffing the clothes and toiletries I had inside, feeling no qualms about taking them. Just as I had started to care about Edward and to believe he cared about me, he had betrayed me; treated me as James used to; instructing me to stay put while he disappeared without telling me where he was going. And I knew I couldn't stay here.

Leaving Twilight proved far easier than I had thought it would. Because all the girls had similar clothing, the baseball cap and sunglasses I had put on helped hide my features and I had bundled my hair into a rough bun so that it was hidden. With Edward away, no one else thought to check my identity as I passed security easily. Once outside, I noticed two dark haired young men standing a short distance away and turned on my heel to avoid them; they had a look of Jacob's friends and the last thing I wanted was to be followed by them.

It was a bright sunny day and the streets were crowded with people, which made it easy enough to blend in; to disappear as it were. My heart had stopped thudding so hard as I caught a bus to the next town, where I knew there was a small motel. My plan was to hide away there for a couple of nights and then move on; though where I would move on to was anyone's guess. After I had checked in as Laura Bird and been given a key, I headed up to the small room, which though a little dated, was at least clean. I switched on the old television set and lay down on the bed, focussing on the eighties sitcom rather than on what my next step would be.

The piercing ringtone of my phone brought me out of my daze and I flinched. Waiting for it to stop ringing, I took it out of my bag and then deliberately switched it off. I didn't want to speak to anyone and glancing at the caller ID told me it was Alice. She was the last person I needed to speak to, because I knew she would try to convince me to go back. And I couldn't; I never wanted to be in the position again where someone had power or control over me; where I was afraid to go out and equally afraid to stay in with that person. Edward had betrayed my trust in my eyes and the only way for me to get on with my life was to leave him. As much as it hurt me to do so.

"_I thought I told you not to go out, Isabella."_

"_I... I just went to the store, to get some groceries. We had nothing in..."_

"_I didn't ask where you had been. I told you that you were not to leave the building. Which part of that was so difficult to comprehend?" He took a step towards me and I took a step back._

"_I'm sorry. I tried calling you, but your cell was switched off," I said, softly. He glared at me, but then crossed the room and sat down on the sofa, rubbing his head as if it pained him. Concerned, I stepped towards him. "James, are you ok? Have you got a headache?"_

"_Nothing that you doing as you are told wouldn't cure," he replied. I flinched, but forced myself to stand still._

"_Would you like me to get you some painkillers?" He looked across at me then, his eyes hidden behind the shades._

"_No. What I would like for you to do is go through to the bedroom, remove your top and lay down on the bed." The order was given crisply. Automatically, my hands came down to cover my stomach and a chill ran through me._

"_Please, James. I'm sorry I went out. It won't happen again. Please..."_

_I broke off, as he got to his feet and crossed the room to me quickly. He grabbed my arm so tightly that I knew it would be bruised and then yanked me into the bedroom..._

I sat up with a cry and for a moment wondered where I was. As my mind focussed, I slumped down, tears in my eyes. Edward would be on his way back to the club now. He would know that I was gone. A million questions filled my head. Would he come after me? Or would he be relieved to find that I was no longer his problem? Nobody wants a girl with a past; I should have realised that. Stiffly, I got up from the bed and headed into the en-suite. A quick shower and then I would hit the road. My money wouldn't last too long and I needed to put some distance between myself and Twilight.

With my mind made up that I would head for the nearest highway and hitch-hike to save some cash, I headed out as soon as I was showered and dressed, covering my face and head again with the baseball cap and shades. As I headed for the reception area to hand my key in though, I saw the two young men who had been outside Twilight when I left. Stepping back, I dropped the key into a box by the door and fled.

My phone had been ringing non-stop for the last hour; Alice, Rosalie, the Twilight main line, Jacob and a couple of numbers I didn't recognise all flashed across the screen, but I ignored it. The only reason I kept the phone was so I could contact Jacob when I had found a new place. The woman in the driver's seat glanced across at me, as I took the phone out and switched it off.

"You not answering that?" she asked.

"No, it's just a cold call," I replied. Marti smiled and nodded.

"They drive me mad as well," she said and launched into a tirade about cold call centres. Marti had picked me up on the edge of the highway, where I had been standing, sticking my thumb out, hoping for a lift to the next city. She had pulled over, let me in and then given me a lecture about the dangers of hitch hiking; detailing how she would feel if she caught her granddaughter doing it.

"I've never done this before," I had said, a little shyly and she had nodded brusquely, but didn't ask me any questions. Instead she told me all about her grandchildren, who she was immensely proud of and her life as a newly retired teacher. She had apparently taken to gardening and had been on her way to a new store at the other end of the highway.

"You mind if we stop at the next service station?" she suddenly asked. I blinked, rapidly. I hadn't really been listening to her.

"Sure," I said. Marti pulled in and I got out with her, stretching. "I might go get a bottle of water from the shop. You want anything?"

"No, dear, I'm fine. I'll meet you back here in five."

I wandered round the shop, looking for water, when someone suddenly grabbed my arm. I twisted around and saw a woman with blonde hair standing beside me, her eyes hidden behind a pair of over-sized sunglasses. Her fingers pinched into my flesh and I yelped.

"I'll give you something to squeak about if you don't shut up," she said, angrily.

"R... Rosalie?" I stammered. She squeezed my arm a little harder.

"I told the lady you were with that I was your sister and I would take care of you from here. What the hell are you playing at? It's been a week; you just vanished!"

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"How did I find you? How did I find you?" she hissed, angrily. I pulled away from her.

"I'm not coming back," I said, moving back from her and folding my arms across my chest; trying very hard to look assertive.

"I don't think you'll have much of a choice," replied Rosalie, glaring at me, as she whipped away her sunglasses.

"You can't force me to go back..."

"Bella! Where have you been? God I was so worried!" Suddenly Alice appeared and threw herself at me, wrapping her arms round my neck. I didn't respond, still looking at Rosalie.

"She says she isn't coming back," said Rosalie. Alice stepped back and gave me a calculating look.

"I don't think you have a choice, Bella," she said, quietly. "You are under contract after all."

"Contract?" I echoed. "Alice, I don't care about a contract! I'm leaving... no I've left."

"What about Edward?" she asked. I stiffened at his name, my heart leaping uncomfortably in my chest.

"I'm sure Mr Cullen will understand," I replied.

"I'm sure he won't," retorted Rosalie. She fell silent, as Jasper suddenly appeared in the entrance of the shop. His face was like thunder and I felt a shiver of apprehension run through me.

"Follow me, please, Isabella," he said, formally, turning away from me, clearly expecting me to obey.

"No!" I cried. Jasper whipped round so quickly that I gasped.

"You will follow me, or I will drag you," he said, coldly. Knowing I had no choice, I followed him outside to a stretch limousine, which was parked across the entrance to the service station. I saw Marti getting into her car and she gave me a cheery wave.

"I'm so glad your sister caught up with you, dear!" she called, not waiting for me to respond. Jasper held the door for me and when I had climbed in, he followed, sitting opposite me.

"I am not sure what your understanding of your contract is, Isabella, but I can tell you it does not include moonlight flits or vanishing for the better part of a week without a word to anyone," he said, in a deceptively quiet voice.

"I'm sorry, Mr Hale, but I needed to get out of there, for... for personal reasons. It was not my intention to cause a problem to you..."

"And how did you think I would cover you with no indication of where you were or if you were coming back? Not to mention the fact that I have been overrun by Black's dogs since you disappeared." His eyes narrowed a little.

"I'm sorry, Mr Hale."

"We will discuss just how sorry you are back at Twilight, Miss Swann," he replied, coldly. I shivered at his tone.

"How did you find me, Mr Hale?" I asked, after a long, uncomfortable silence.

"One of the mutts caught your scent," he replied. "They tracked you to the highway and got the plate of the car. It didn't take much of an effort for Rosalie to follow the car into the services."

"Oh." I remembered the two men at the motel and flushed, ducking my head.

"And Miss Swann, you might be worried about my being angry with you, but I would be more concerned about Rosalie and Alice."

I didn't reply. His gaze swept over my face and then he smiled, but it was not a reassuring sight.

"Not to mention Mr Cullen. I don't think I have ever seen him quite so... emotional."

I stiffened, but didn't give a verbal response. Jasper leaned back in his seat and took out his phone, his eyes fixed on me the whole time.

"We have apprehended her. Yes, we are on our way back. You wish to deal with this personally? Are you sure that is wise? Fine, it is your decision." He hung up and gave me another cold smile. I shivered and pulled myself as far away from him as I could, staring blankly out of the window.

When we got back to Twilight, Alice opened my door and led me swiftly away from Jasper, leaning in close to whisper frantically in my ear.

"Look, I don't know what happened with you, why you left, but it would probably go down as the stupidest thing you could possibly have done..."

"Without doubt," said Rosalie, appearing on my other side. I glanced between them both and bowed my head.

"I didn't realise it would cause such a fuss," I started to say. Alice grabbed my arm and stopped me.

"A fuss? Bella, you're our friend! Surely you could have told us where you were going; why you were going? We could have helped you..."

"No offence, Alice, but help would have meant Edward and I don't really want to be around him anymore," I said.

"Like you'll get a choice with that," offered Rosalie. Alice glared at her.

"Rose, not helping," she said, then looked back at me, hurt anger in her eyes. "Bella, I thought you liked it here. I thought you cared about us..."

"I do!" I protested.

"Then why run?"

"I... I had my reasons," I said, softly. "I was intending to call you guys when I was settled."

"You mean when you were far enough away we couldn't come after you," retorted Rosalie.

"You should know, Bella, he would have come after you how ever far you ran," said Alice, softly.

"Who?" I asked, though I knew perfectly well whom she meant.

"Edward of course," said Alice, as we turned onto the corridor that led down to the office area. Jasper was behind us now.

"So why didn't he come after me with the rest of you then? If he cares so much, why did he go off for three days and not tell me where he was going?"

"He is not the one with a dysfunctional, murdering ex after him," said Jasper. Rosalie and Alice stared at me open-mouthed at this comment and I flushed.

"Jake has that covered," I said.

"Yes, he's had this place covered too," snarled Jasper. "Damned wolves!"

"Wolves?" I echoed, having no clue what he was talking about.

"Jazz, leave it," said Alice, sounding a little nervous. I couldn't figure out why until I turned and saw Edward standing behind me, his eyes black as coal, jaw line set and body stiff with fury. Part of me wanted to run into his arms and beg him to forgive me, but another part (maybe the sane part) wanted to run like hell as far away from him and this club as I could get.

**_Oh dear. I'm with Bella, would you run to him or from him? Please let me know what you think of the story so far and I will get the next chapter posted asap..._**


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

"Isabella, come with me." It didn't sound much like a request and I figured I wasn't in a position to argue. Slowly, I followed him into his office and watched as he closed the door behind me. Edward moved around the desk and sat down in his large office chair. "Please, have a seat." He gestured at the chair in front of his desk and I sat down, never taking my eyes from him. His body language and his voice were completely at odds with one another; I knew he was furious with me, but if I closed my eyes, his voice was cool and detached. We sat in silence for a long time, as he regarded me steadily from those black, black eyes. My eyes flickered to the door briefly and he leaned forwards, resting his elbows on the desk. "Isabella, where have you been?" Still that quiet, calm voice. I shivered, but then, unexpectedly, felt a surge of anger.

"Where have you been?" I asked, a little flippantly.

"I am not under contract, Isabella. I am asking you, as the owner of Twilight, where you have been for the last week?" This time a hint of anger crept into his voice. Forcing myself not to flinch or give any indication he was making me uncomfortable, I fixed my gaze on the wall behind him.

"You can always fire me, Mr Cullen," I said, with a shrug. He glared at me and got to his feet so quickly the chair he was sitting on toppled over with a heavy crash. I got up from my own chair, quickly, all pretence that I was not afraid flying out of the window and took a step back, closer to the door.

"I have no intention of firing you, Isabella. Why did you walk out? Why did you leave?"

"Why did you?" I countered. He looked flustered for a moment, but then he gave me a calculated look.

"You are in no position to question me. Your contract states quite clearly, in black and white, that you do not leave Twilight without permission from one of the managers or the owner. That you are in fact the property of the Twilight Club."

"Are you saying you own me?" I asked, a little faintly. Edward's eyes narrowed a fraction and he gave a humourless laugh, and then shrugged. I stared at him for a moment and then rushed to the door, only to find him standing in front of it, his hand closed over mine on the handle. Again it struck me how cold his hands were, like marble. He half turned to look down at me, his eyes searching my face. We stood like that for what seemed an eternity, but was actually only seconds, before I took a few steps back, fighting back the panic that was welling inside of me. How had he moved so fast? Why was he so cold? The only other person I had known to be like that was... "Oh God. You're like him, aren't you? You're like James." My hand flew to my mouth and I backed further away from him, trying to control my breathing which was coming in short gasps.

"_I told you to stay in the fucking apartment!" he bellowed, angrily. As my eyes flitted to the door, he suddenly appeared there, too quickly for it to have been humanly possible, his hand closing over mine. He squeezed until I screamed, knowing at least one of my fingers was broken from the pressure. _

"_I had to work," I managed to get out between sobs. He glared down at me and released my hand, taking a step back._

"_Work? What is it with you and work? It's a fucking poxy cafe, Isabella! It's not even like it's a real job! You're not going there anymore." _

"_But..." He whirled round and grabbed my upper arm so tightly that I cried out._

"_Tell me that you are not arguing with me," he growled, close to my ear._

"_Please, James, please, let go, you're hurting me."_

"_I haven't even started yet, Isabella," he said, quietly, leaning close to me. His teeth scraped along my throat but then he seemed to change his mind and whipped me round to face him, tearing my t-shirt from me with one pull. Before I could react, I was on my back on the floor, my head cracking against the tiled floor. Everything faded into black and the last thing I remembered were his red eyes staring down at me and then his teeth sinking into my stomach._

"Do not compare me to him," snarled Edward.

"Why?" I managed to gasp out. "Why not when you are so alike..."

"I am nothing like him!" roared Edward, making me squeak with shock, never having heard him raise his voice before. My hand came up automatically to cover my stomach and he saw the movement. In an instant he was at my side, grabbing my upper arm in a vice-like grip. "Do you hear me? Don't you ever compare me to that... that monster! I am many things, Isabella, but I am not a monster, or at least not a monster of his ilk."

"Please, James..." My voice faltered and his eyes widened. "Mr Cullen, let go. You're hurting me," I whimpered. Edward let go of me instantly and looked down at my arm, which was reddened from his hand. Tears were burning my eyes now and I stepped away from him, my arms wrapped around my stomach protectively. As the tears trickled down my cheeks, Edward stood away from me, breathing heavily, leaning back on his desk.

"I think we should leave this discussion until the morning when perhaps we will both be a lot calmer," he said, at last. "I would suggest you go back to your room. And Isabella, do not think of trying to leave again; you will be guarded tonight."

Numbly, I opened the door and headed out, straight into Alice's arms. Edward's sister held me in a warm embrace, as I sobbed against her shoulder, gently leading me from the offices to my own room. She stayed with me all night, as I intermittently wept and dozed. It didn't occur to me that she was guarding me, but if she was I didn't mind too much. At least she was a comfort to me that night.

"Look Edward, she clearly had her reasons for leaving and I really don't think your performance last night helped matters... No... She was crying all night... Of course I know... but the future is changeable. I wouldn't want to tell you it will definitely happen. She had enough of a shock with James... I could hardly tell her I knew, could I? She already suspects what we are, but she doesn't want to believe it... No, Rose hasn't told her. She wouldn't tell her. Edward, we are all aware of the consequences of telling her... What do you mean you didn't hunt last night? Then no you definitely cannot see her! How do you think you will control yourself if you are hungry? Leave it for today; maybe give it a few days, let her settle back in. I've got to go; I think she's awake."

Alice hung up and I opened my eyes slowly. They were sore from all the crying and my head was pounding. Alice handed me a glass of water and a couple of painkillers, with a sympathetic smile.

"Come on, Bella. Go take a shower; it'll make you feel better. I've put you on an evening shift, finishing at eight. Is that ok?"

I nodded, feeling unable to protest. Alice got up and clapped her hands.

"And I thought we'd use the spa facilities this morning, help you relax a bit. What do you think?"

"I'm not sure your brother would approve," I said. "He'd probably think you were rewarding me for running away."

"About that, Bella, why did you go?" she asked. "Was it something I did?"

"No, Alice, no. I just... I don't know what he wants from me... what he expects of me. Am I just an employee...?"

"Of course not!" She grasped my hands, when I gave her a dubious look. "Bella, he's my brother. I know him better than anyone else. Right from the beginning he took more than a professional interest in you. He wanted to protect you all the time, keep you safe. That's why he was always asking for you to serve him at his table. I have never seen him like this with anyone. Please, don't give up on him because he was angry last night."

"Why was he angry though? Was he angry that I left or angry because I wouldn't tell him why?"

"Both," she said, with a shrug. "He wants you here with him."

"Why? Because of the contract? Because he _owns _me?" I said, bitterly.

"Is that what he said?" asked Alice, incredulously. "Wait til I see him!" She fumed for a few more minutes and then paused, looking at my downcast face. She took my hands again and looked me in the eye. "Bella, he loves you."

I stared at her open-mouthed for a moment and then shook my head, with disbelief.

"No, you're wrong, Alice. He sees me as a possession, an employee, someone he once kissed... that is all. Last night he was angry because I had gone when I should have been working shifts... He said nothing about any feelings for me."

"Trust me, Bella, I know my brother. If you were just an employee, it would have been Emmett talking to you last night, not Edward. He has taken a personal interest in you that has nothing to do with work. Now, come on, let's go enjoy the pool for a couple of hours."

The afternoon in the pool and the sauna really helped me relax and by the time my shift came round, I was feeling a lot better. I even managed to get through my three hours with a smile on my face. Alice had given me a micro-shift to try and ease me in. She recognised how much stress I had been under. The other girls were pleased to see me, though a little curious as to where I had been and probably why I was still standing. Jess in particular eyed me suspiciously until Rosalie walked in and exclaimed loudly that she was glad I was back from my authorised leave. I couldn't help but love that girl sometimes.

When my shift was done, my intention was to go straight back upstairs, but when I headed out back, Emmett was waiting for me.

"Mr Cullen would like a word, Bella," he said, quietly, looking down at me a little nervously.

"It's ok, Emmett, I'm not planning on running or anything. I'll go face him," I said, with a small smile. Emmett grinned, gratefully.

"Good, because I don't want to be chasing you around the club," he said, with a laugh. I smiled back and he ducked his head a little sheepishly, before following me down the corridor to Edward's office. He tapped on the door and then opened it, leaving me once again with the enigma that was Edward Cullen.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Edward was sat behind his desk, his eyes thankfully golden-brown again, his bronze hair looking like he had just got out of bed. He leaned back in his seat and gestured at the chair in front of his desk. I sat down, a little warily and looked across at him. After my conversation with Alice earlier, I was a little nervous of him, but not frightened and defensive like I had been the night before. He had a sheet of paper in front of him, which he pushed across the desk to me. I glanced down at it and saw that it was my contract. I swallowed uncomfortably. Jacob might have signed it on my behalf, but I knew its contents. He had shown it to me afterwards, saying that if there was aything I objected to he would find a loophole. At the time, I had just shrugged; I didn't care about the contract; I just cared that I was safe and earning my own keep. And Jacob had hinted that if it hadn't been him signing it, I never would have got the job.

"I... I'm sorry about last week, Mr Cullen," I said. Having spent the day talking through with Alice this inevitable meeting, she had advised that I apologise for leaving and hope that he would accept that and move on. Even when she said it, I had looked at her doubtfully. Now as I spoke the words, I didn't dare look at him.

"I'm sorry too, Isabella," he said, surprising me. I glanced up and saw that he was looking at me with infinite regret. "I have not made myself clear at all; I know that. I have taken advantage of my position over you." I felt my face redden at his words and I bowed my head again. This was not what I had expected at all. "The worst thing is that you were right last night when you compared me to... James." He said the name as if it pained him and I flinched at it as well. "I had no right to tell you what to do and I certainly did not mean to imply that I own you . I was so angry with you that I did not think through my words or my actions." His gaze flitted to my arm, which was bruised from where he had grabbed me the previous night. "Sometimes I forget my own strength, which is no excuse at all."

"It's ok, I bruise easily," I said, with a small smile. Edward scowled.

"It is most certainly not ok. I have no right to put my hands on you and hurt you; no one does. And it was not ok for me to leave you for three days without a word of explanation, but expect you to stay here and then rebuke you for doing the same thing. Though in my defence, I am more able to protect myself than you are." He looked across at me, his gaze intense for a moment.

"Mr Cullen..."

"Edward," he interrupted. I smiled a little at that and looked up to meet his eye.

"Bella," I replied and was rewarded with a small smile from the other side of the table.

"Does this mean we are friends again, Bella?" he asked, looking at me seductively through his eyelashes.

"I guess it does, Edward," I replied, shifting in my chair. "But, we do need to talk..."

"Yes," he said, a little solemnly. "We do. But can I suggest we do so over dinner, rather than in this office?"

I looked up at him, a little startled.

"If you don't want to..." he started to say, looking away. A small thrill went through me when I saw the trepidation on his face and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.

"No, no, I do want to," I said, hurriedly. "Can I shower and change first?"

"Will you wear the blue dress?" he asked. I blushed and nodded. He gave me a crooked smile.

"I will see you in the foyer in half an hour," he said. "Is that enough time?"

"Yes," I breathed, knowing that if he had said ten minutes, I would have been there.

"So when you left, I just... James used to go off for days at a time without a word and I guess I was scared. When he came back, he was even more aggressive than usual and... Since him, I haven't been in a relationship with anyone. I haven't even really had friends other than Jacob I guess," I said. "I know it's lame, but I don't really know how to do relationships. I mean I had a couple of casual boyfriends in high school, but James was my first proper boyfriend."

"Bella, did he... did he ever hurt you?" asked Edward, hesitantly.

"How do you mean?" I asked. He looked at me for a moment, as if trying to figure out how to say what he wanted to.

"Last night, when I was... perhaps a little aggressive in my manner... you put your hands over your stomach. I've seen you do that in the club when you deal with the more challenging customers."

I flushed and looked away from him.

"You noticed that?" I muttered. He laughed softly and caught my hand in his across the table.

"I notice everything about you," he replied.

"Do... do you mind if we don't talk about that, not tonight?" I said eventually. Edward gave me a level look and then nodded.

"As you wish, my love," he said. My face burnt and my heart rate picked up at the endearment and he smiled, widely. Again, I got the impression that he could hear my heartbeat, which should have been impossible. My mind flitted to all the times he had done something that should have been impossible; his speed, his strength and his ability to hear the quietest, smallest sound. I took a deep breath, knowing the time had come to ask him the question.

"Edward, can I ask you something?" I said, suddenly.

"Of course, my love." He said it again, looking for my reaction again, a crooked smile on his face.

"I just wondered... I don't even know how to ask this. I don't want to offend you or sound weird..."

"Bella, just ask me," he said, leaning towards me, fixing me with a warm gaze.

"Last night, when I said you were like James..." I paused when he flinched and ducked my head apologetically. "I didn't mean the bad stuff. I meant the way you move, the way you seem to be able to hear the smallest sounds... the ones it should be impossible for you to hear. And you're so cold; it's like you're made of marble or something..."

"Bella..." he started to say, but I stopped him, holding up my hand.

"Edward, I feel mad for asking, but... are you a vampire?"

Edward laughed, but it wasn't a derisive laugh; it was slightly bitter. He sighed deeply and went to move his hands from mine, but I tightened my grip a little.

"You ask if I'm a vampire?" he said, eventually. "Tell me; do you really want an answer, Bella?"

"Yes," I said, blushing an even darker shade of red.

Edward exhaled slowly and glanced away from me.

"What if my answer was yes, Bella?" he asked, his voice sounding pained.

"Do you kill people?" I asked, automatically. He looked at me and gave a surprised laugh.

"That's all you care about?"

"Yes," I answered, honestly.

"Ok." He paused as the waitress brought over our order. "I don't drink human blood. When I go hunting, I drink animal blood."

"So that's where you disappeared to for three days?" I asked, trying to keep my tone nonchalant.

"Yes," he said, uncomfortably, looking away from me.

"Edward, James is a vampire too, isn't he?" My voice was faint but he squeezed my hands.

"Yes." And with one word, my world collapsed around me, as I remembered with sudden clarity exactly how my father had died.

"I think she fainted," Edward's voice like soft velvet in my ears brought me back to consciousness. He was cradling me in his arms, and he smiled as I opened my eyes. "Are you alright, my love?"

"E... Edward?"

"I'm here," he said, softly, stroking my hair with infinite tenderness.

"I... I want to go home."

He escorted me back to his car, but I remember little of the journey. When we reached my room, he tried to wish me goodnight, but I grabbed him and pulled him inside.

"Don't leave me, Edward," I said, softly. He looked down at me, a little confused. "Please."

"Bella, you know I can deny you nothing," he replied. "But, now that you know the truth, why would you want me to stay?"

"Because... I... I trust you," I said, amazed to know it was true. Edward leaned towards me.

"You are sure?" he asked.

"More than sure, _my_ love," I replied, with a shy smile. Edward returned my smile and stepped into my room. We sat down side by side on the bed and then I looked across at him.

"I knew what James was," I said, suddenly. Edward bowed his head and then glanced across at me. "When they said about the puncture wounds in Dad's neck... but then it was like I forgot. Like I couldn't say any more what he was. How did he do that?"

"Vampires are very good at protecting their secrets, Bella," he replied, darkly. I let his words sink in and then looked at him a little nervously.

"Edward, how will you protect your secret?" I asked.

"I have no reason to protect my secret from you, Bella. Trust is a two way thing; you trust me to be with you and I trust you to keep my secret." He shrugged as if it was that simple.

"Why didn't James trust me?"

"James and I are nothing alike, Bella, I promise you," he said suddenly grabbing my hands and bringing them to his lips. "Don't think about him. You should try and get some sleep. Jasper will no doubt want you back to normal hours tomorrow."

"I guess," I replied, getting up to use the bathroom. When I came back in my cami and shorts, Edward was lying on his back on the bed. I got under the covers beside him and then snuggled up close to him as he put an arm around me.

"How did you become a vampire, Edward?" I asked, sleepily.

"That is a very long story, my love and you are tired. Go to sleep and maybe I will tell you another day."

"Will you be here when I wake up?" I yawned. Edward leaned down and kissed my lips.

"Of course, my love," he replied, softly and then I fell asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**_Thank you if you have added my story as a favourite! Much appreciated. I had a bit of a giggle writing this chapter; it's a bit more light hearted in places. Hope you enjoy it x_**

CHAPTER 15

"Don't you ever, ever do that to me again!" Jacob's voice was so angry that I held the phone away from my ear, relieved we were not face-to-face. Edward glanced across at me and I turned away from his concerned face.

"I'm sorry, Jake..."

"You could have been a hell of a lot sorrier," he growled. "I did not say that you were completely safe! Why did you think I was putting bodies outside the venues you told me you were going to? Surely it crossed your mind that if I was still putting a guard around you it was not safe for you to be alone!"

"I know, I know," I started to say.

"That's just it though, you don't know, do you? Shit, Bella! I lost you once; I couldn't face losing you again."

"I'm sorry," I sobbed. Edward crossed the room and placed a hand on my shoulder. Jacob took a deep breath on the end of the phone, obviously trying to calm himself. When he spoke again, his voice was more or less back to normal.

"Oh don't cry, Bells, you know I love you. That's why I'm mad, sweetheart. He is still in Forks and we still have him heavily guarded. But there is always a chance with him..."

"Jake, you know he's a vampire, right?" I said, wiping the tears from my eyes. There was a long silence and when he spoke again, Jacob's voice was tight with suppressed anger.

"I know he's a blood sucker, yes," he said, eventually. "I just wondered how long it would take for you to remember that part."

"Remember? You could have reminded me..." I was astounded that he knew and hadn't told me.

"No, Bella, I couldn't. I tried once and you looked at me like I'd lost the plot. I don't know what the freak did to you, but you were adamant he was just a psycho, not a vampire psycho."

"How can you take him on? Jake, I'm worried for you. For all of you..."

"Bella, I want you to think about yourself, not us. We are perfectly safe. Trust me, their sort are well aware that they cannot attack us and live so easily."

"I don't understand..."

"This is not something for us to talk about now, Bella. Maybe next time I see you properly, when I'm a bit calmer..."

"You're still mad with me?" I gulped. Jacob laughed; a small bitter sound and I pictured him glaring at his phone.

"It will take me a while, Bella," he said.

"Oh."

"Look, I've got to go now. I'm glad you're safe, but don't do that again, or I won't be speaking to you on the phone; it will be face to face and trust me, you don't want that, ok?" His voice was severe, but I had a sudden memory of Charlie using that same tone of voice when I stayed out way past curfew one night when I was fifteen. It made me smile a little at the bitter-sweet memory; I knew Jake cared.

"Ok," I murmured.

"Love you, Bells," he said. I smiled.

"Love you too."

I hung up and turned back to Edward, whose face was like a mask, carefully blank. Nervously, I chewed my lip for a moment and then met his gaze.

"Edward, you know I love him. But it's different. He's the closest I have to a brother. I love you in a whole different way."

I smiled and saw his lips twitch into a sort of half smile, but his eyes were still so sad. I crossed the room quickly and threw myself into his arms. He caught me and I leaned up to kiss him, wanting to show him how I felt about him. He responded, but when he withdrew from our embrace, the sadness was still in his eyes.

"All this new-found honesty is refreshing, Edward," said Alice, in a lightly teasing voice. I looked up from the book I was reading, curled up in an armchair in the corner of Edward's office while he took care of some paperwork. He glanced up and gave her an irritated scowl.

"Alice, I am very busy," he said.

"Did you tell her that you read minds?" she asked, and then clapped a hand over her mouth, when I dropped my book with a clatter. Edward glared at Alice and then turned to face me directly.

"Bella," he started to say.

"You read minds and you didn't think to tell me? You didn't think I might want to know you are reading my mind all the time?" I said, incredulously. Edward looked from Alice and then back to me again and for a moment he looked perplexed.

"That's just the thing though, Bella" he said. "I can read everyone's mind, except for yours. That was what made me so interested in you to start off with. I've never known anyone who could keep their thoughts from me, let alone be completely unaware that they are doing it. I said you fascinate me, my love."

Alice cleared her throat when he moved across the room with that impossible speed to take my chin between his finger and thumb, hovering his lips so close to mine I could feel his sweet breath on my skin.

"Excuse me, I am still in the room," she said. Edward laughed, his lips tickling mine and then kissed me slowly, giving his sister a huge grin as he straightened up.

"Edward, why can't you read my mind?" I asked; when he moved back enough that I could think about something other than his lips so close to mine. "Is there something wrong with me?"

Edward laughed out loud and dropped a gentle kiss on my brow.

"Ah, my love, there is the reason I love you so much. I tell you I can read minds and you ask if there is something wrong with you!" He laughed again, shaking his head, as he moved back to his desk.

"Most vampires have a skill of some sort," said Alice. "Jazz is exceptionally good at reading emotions and projecting them. He's also very good at... oh I nearly forgot you were in the room, Edward." I swallowed a giggle at the expression on her brother's face; his lip had curled back into a snarl that looked so animalistic that for a brief moment I caught sight of the vampire he was. The expression left his face so swiftly though that I didn't have time to dwell on it.

"Alice, I do not need images like that in my head. Could you at least try to control your thoughts?" he bit out.

"What did you show him?" I asked. Alice looked at me, her eyes gleaming with laughter.

"Just a particularly lovely image I keep in my head of Jazz getting up in a morning, his beautiful peachy bottom heading across the bedroom..."

"Oh my God, Alice, too much!" I cried, knowing I would never be able to look at Mr Hale in the same way again. Alice giggled loudly.

"At least you didn't get inundated with images of said peach," grumbled Edward. He glared at Alice. "Bear in mind that if Jasper knows you are discussing his anatomy with us he will not be best pleased."

"Jazz knows me well enough to know I would never reveal anything too personal," she replied, waving a nonchalant hand in Edward's direction. "Anyway, back to vampire skills... Emmett as you have seen is strong as an ox. He was always strong, even before he changed, but since then he has become incredibly powerful. He has to hold back quite a bit when we get any trouble in the club, but he is able to read people pretty well and knows how much is just enough to get the message across, if that makes sense. That's why he is the enforcer around here. He knows when to stop at a quiet word and when he needs to be a bit more... forceful."

"The only time Emmett has ever had to be 'forceful' is with his darling girlfriend," retorted Edward.

"As if he ever lays a hand on Rosalie," scoffed Alice.

"He's tried," I commented. "But she usually hits back twice as hard. And he feels so bad when she hurts her fists on him."

Alice giggled.

"It's always good to know that Emmett has met his match," she said.

"And you see the future," I murmured, remembering her conversation with Edward over the phone months before, when she had thought me asleep. Edward chuckled darkly at the shocked expression on Alice's face.

"Didn't see that coming did you, sister," he said, smugly. "My Bella is very astute." I felt my skin flush at him calling me his, but it was a warmth in my heart that caused it; his Bella. And I knew all I wanted to be, for the rest of my days, was Edward's Bella.


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

Our days passed in contentment. I stayed close to Edward, feeling lost when he was not there. The only time he ever left me was to hunt. Though I missed him when he was gone; I knew he had to.

"If I did not hunt, I would be a danger to every human in this place, especially you," he said to me once, his gaze so intense that I knew what he said was true. After that I never argued again, or tried to delay him. One week, he and Emmett had been gone for several days and the evenings seemed to grow longer with every passing day. Rosalie seemed to be doing the later shifts and I was alone more than I wanted to be; when I was alone the nightmares came. It was almost as if James knew when I had no one with me; as if he could get into my head. Some of the dreams were so vivid I would wake with my throat in an agony of fire, knowing I had been screaming ad weeping in my sleep. On the fourth night Edward was away, I approached Alice.

"Alice, can I do the long shift tonight?" I asked. She smiled and nodded.

"Sure, Bella. Edward is still hunting?"

"Yes," I said, glancing away. Alice touched my cheek gently and Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"Great, nice lonely evening for me then," she grumbled.

"You are working too, Rosalie," Alice reminded her, glancing down at the schedule.

"I finish at ten and you two won't be done until twelve," she whined.

"Tell you what, Bella will have her break at ten and I will have mine at eleven for half an hour so that you aren't alone for too much of the evening. Where is Emmett?"

"Edward asked him to meet with him tonight. He came back last night, but then boss man has to drag him away again. Sorry, Bella." I just grinned at her.

"Ah, now we see why she is suddenly so keen for girl company," I said, giggling when Rosalie threw one of Alice's pink cushions across the office at me. Alice deftly stuck out her arm and caught it, while never looking up from the schedule she was typing out.

"Children, please," she admonished. "Some of us work all day, not just a few hours in the evening."

"Yeah, some of us don't get tired or need to sleep," grumbled Rosalie. Alice quirked her eyebrow, but I saw a slight smile on her lips.

"Do not worry, Rosalie, it will not be a permanent state. Your humanity will be over within the year. Jasper has it in hand."

"Jasper would leave me human forever if he could," she replied, grumpily. My ears perked up and I looked at them both.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm only half-vampire," said Rosalie, eventually.

"How does that even work?" I asked.

"That night I was... attacked? I lost a lot of blood. Jazz had to give me some of his blood, but Edward stopped him before he could completely change me. So though I'm not aging at all, I can still be killed."

I looked at her curiously.

"Rosalie, how old are you?"

"Twenty two," she said, automatically.

"No, really. How old are you?"

"One hundred and twenty six," she replied, eventually. My mouth must have dropped.

"But you said you went off the rails after high school..." Rosalie shrugged.

"Well, I just meant after high school age. Jeez Bella, I could hardly tell you the truth, could I? How freaked out would you have been?"

"I guess," I replied. But my mind was working overtime, wondering about what she had said. Could I become a vampire and be with Edward forever? Never aging, as beautiful as Rosalie... and strong enough to protect myself from James. The idea of never having to look over my shoulder was very appealing. Alice glanced at me, knowingly.

"Edward has considered it, but don't push him, Bella. If you push him, he will not do it. Trust me on this."

I nodded, but my mind was in overdrive.

"Oh come on Bella, just one. You finish in an hour anyway!" said Rosalie. Alice had swapped breaks with me and it was eleven o'clock. Rosalie had pulled out a bottle of bubbly and was sitting in the back with two glasses and a big smile. I rolled my eyes.

"Edward would kill me," I said.

"Edward and Emmett are having macho men time. They won't even be thinking about us," she grumbled. My heart clenched when I thought of Edward and the bubbly seemed like a good way to take my mind off of him. Besides, Rosalie was right; in an hour's time I was all done and there would only be thirty minutes to get through after my break.

"Ok, just one," I said. "And don't fill my glass up. If I go back out there drunk, I'll get in trouble."

"Yeah, like anyone's going to touch you when you're with the boss," she said.

"Edward is very professional," I countered.

"Yes, a professional irritant," replied Rosalie, pouring me a half glass. I took a sip and nearly choked on the bubbles.

"God, Rose, where did you get this from?" I asked, inspecting the bottle. She giggled.

"Jasper's secret stock," she replied. "I was in his office earlier and spotted it. Sorry, it's pretty strong."

"Now you tell me!" I said, but the bubbly sensation wasn't unpleasant and when my glass magically seemed to refill, I didn't think twice about drinking it. By the end of my half hour break, both of us were giggling at nothing. I staggered back out to the bar area and tried very hard to focus on what I was doing, but everything seemed to be moving. Luckily, the tables I had been serving had left while I was on my break, so all I was doing was cleaning up, rather than having actual contact with clientele. As the last of the customers disappeared, one of the girls turned the jukebox on and Lady Gaga came on making me squeal. I sang along at the top of my lungs, earning me a few giggles and stares from the other girls, some of whom joined in. Rosalie was standing _on_ the bar at one point, having found the microphone the jazz singer had been using earlier that night and she was singing along, slightly off-key due to the alcohol.

"Oh shit," she suddenly said, with perfect lucidity into the microphone. There was a sudden flutter of movement and I became aware that the other girls were clearing out of the bar area. A large figure was standing at the bar, holding a hand up to Rosalie.

Someone approached me and I squinted, wondering why they were walking sideways. I turned my head, but that didn't seem to help, so I turned it the other way, giggling to myself.

"Isabella Swann, come with me, now!" The sharp rebuke made me start and briefly I forced myself to focus and saw Edward standing in front of me, with Emmett just behind him.

_**Oops. Not sure how Edward will feel about inebriated Bella... trust me, the next chapter was a lot of fun to write and hopefully will be equally fun to read...**_


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

"Eddie!" I cried. Emmett laughed out loud, and then rather hurriedly retreated when Edward gave him a black look, before grabbing my arm and more-or-less dragging me to his office, where he slammed the door and pushed me onto the sofa. He filled his kettle at the sink, muttering to himself all the time.

"Chill out, Edward!" I called from the sofa, wondering what he was so upset about. Edward crossed the room and slammed the coffee cup down in front of me so hard that I wondered how he hadn't broken it. "I don't want coffee; I want you." I got up and wrapped my arms around his neck. Gently, Edward detangled himself and then firmly sat me back on the sofa.

"Drink the coffee, Isabella."

"Why are you being so formal?" I whined. "Should I be formal too, Eddie?"

"If you call me that once more, Isabella, I will do something we will both regret," he warned. A giggle rose in my throat, as I saw his eyes darken.

"What about Teddy?" I suggested and then laughed loudly. Edward crossed the room with deliberate slowness and placed his hands on either side of my head and then leaned in close.

"Drink your coffee and sober up," he said, softly.

"Fine," I grumbled. "Yes sir, Mr Cullen, I'll drink the damned coffee."

Edward stepped back and shook his head, watching me through narrowed eyes. I picked up the coffee and sipped it, muttering to myself about killjoys.

"It's not even as if I'm drunk," I said. Edward's eyebrows shot up and his lips twitched as if he might say something, but he didn't. He waited patiently for me to finish the coffee and to be sober enough to suddenly fall completely silent and begin to feel the stirrings of concern. He might not be able to read my mind, but Edward noticed when I started chewing my lip and glancing up at him, nervously.

"Now, Isabella, would you mind explaining to me why you were drunk while working?"

"Well, Rosalie kind of finished earlier and we were missing you and Emmett and I only had another hour to go... and I was only going to have half a glass, but she kept pouring it and I... I guess I thought I only had an hour to go and it would be quiet and I didn't think anyone would know."

"And exactly what have you eaten today, Isabella?" he asked. I looked at him confused and then realised what he was getting at.

"I didn't have much appetite, just a bit of salad at lunchtime I guess." I ducked my head.

"And it didn't occur to you that the mixture of a very strong champagne, with a lack of food, at the end of a long shift might result in you becoming inebriated?"

"I didn't think..."

"No, neither of you did. I am quite sure Jasper will be having a very similar conversation with Rosalie now..."

"Shit, with Jasper? He'll kick her ass!" I exclaimed. Edward's lips twitched again and he swallowed hard before fixing me with a level look.

"If I were you, Isabella, I would be more concerned about your own 'ass'. And I would appreciate you not using language like that in my office."

I flushed and tried to look away, but he held my gaze with his. I licked my lips, which had become very dry suddenly.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Now, you were drunk in the workplace and clearly there will need to be a consequence for that. Had there been clients involved, this would of course be a much more serious conversation. As it is, I will not tolerate unprofessionalism from my waitressing staff. You are the frontline in Twilight; your behaviour reflects on my club. I am therefore deducting your wage for tonight, as you behaved as if you were not in work anyway."

"Ok," I murmured, feeling a little relieved that that was all he was going to do to me. It wasn't an unreasonable sanction; I knew I had been an idiot to drink on the job.

"It is not ok, Isabella. I am very disappointed in you."

I felt my face flush and shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry, Mr Cullen," I said, sensing the need for a little formality between us at the moment. "It won't happen again."

"I am quite sure it won't," he replied, evenly. "I know you have been through a very difficult few months, Isabella and that is why I am being lenient. I am also more than certain that Rosalie influenced you in making a foolish decision..."

"N..no, Mr Cullen," I said, looking up at him. "I take full responsibility for my behaviour tonight. It was not Rosalie's fault."

"I admire your honesty, Isabella," he said. I half-smiled at this, glad he could still find something about me to admire. He stood up and came across the room to me, tilting my chin up with his finger so that he could look me in the eye. "Now, we must deal with your mouth, Isabella."

"M...my mouth?" I stammered, nervously.

"Yes, your mouth."

"I apologised for swearing," I protested. Edward leaned in nearer to me, knowing his close presence would make me sweat all the more.

"I am not referring to your swearing, though that in itself was bad enough. I am referring to what you called me." He leaned in and brushed my lips with his.

"Erm, I... I didn't mean to..."

"No, you were drunk," he said, his breath tickling my cheek, before he moved back to my lips and kissed them gently again. Catching his teasing mood, I joined in whole-heartedly. He wanted to take me on? Let him try.

"I... I'll never call you Eddie or Teddy again," I said, feeling a giggle rising in my throat even as I said it. Edward leaned back a little and his eyes narrowed.

"You find it funny, Isabella?"

"No, Ted... Edd... Edward." Another giggle escaped my lips.

"I think I will have to punish your mouth," he said, thoughtfully. I licked my lips, feeling a thrill of excitement run through me.

"How?" I asked. He suddenly grabbed me and pushed me until my back was to the wall and then he seized my wrists in one hand and pinned them above my head, forcing me onto my tiptoes. He used his other hand to grab the back of my ponytail, pulling my head back forcibly. I gasped and stared up at him for a brief moment. He looked at me quizzically, as if checking I was ok with what he was doing and I felt my lips curve into a slight smile, as I gave him a quick nod, licking my lips.

"Close your eyes," he ordered. I stared a moment longer and he tugged on my ponytail, his eyes never leaving mine. When I did as he said, his grip eased a little and then he dropped a pair of feather-light kisses on my eyelids. I desperately wanted to open my eyes, as his kisses moved all over my face and then caressed my throat, down to my collarbone, but when I did, he yanked on my ponytail until I closed them again. My tongue flicked out over my lips again, which had thus far been denied his kiss. "Such impatience, my love," he growled, brushing his lips briefly against mine but still not kissing me. He resumed kissing my neck until I was gasping breathlessly.

"Please," I said, when it became too much.

"What, my love?" he asked, positioning himself so that I felt his breath once again against my lips.

"Please let me kiss you." I opened my eyes again and looked into his eyes imploringly. Edward smiled down at me and gave my ponytail a final tug before he released me completely and walked over to his desk, sitting down and switching on his computer. For a moment, I leaned against the wall, breathless and stunned.

"Edward?"

"Yes, my love?" he said, his voice casual, disinterested almost.

"You aren't going to kiss me?" I asked. Edward didn't respond for a moment, looking closely at his computer screen as if fascinated by something, before he looked across at me.

"Sorry, my love, I didn't hear you."

"You aren't going to kiss me?" I repeated. He simply smiled across at me. "You aren't going to let me kiss you?" This time my voice was almost whiny.

"You want to kiss me, my love?" he said, sounding very surprised.

"You know I do."

He beckoned me across to him, with the crook of his finger and patted his lap. I crossed the room quickly and sat down astride his lap, already trying to lean in, but he placed his finger on my lips.

"You were a very naughty girl tonight, Isabella," he said, sternly. "If I were to kiss your mouth, or allow you to kiss me, you might think that it is ok to behave like that again."

I looked straight into his eyes and then took his finger into my mouth, suckling it, gently. Edward groaned and pushed his head against mine, as I looked up at him through my lashes. I licked the tip of his finger and then removed it from my mouth.

"I am very sorry for calling you Eddie and Teddy, Edward. I will never do it again," I said, humbly. Edward groaned again and then leaned back, a slight smile on his face.

"You, Isabella Swann, will be the death of me," he said, before leaning forward and finally claiming my mouth with his own. He kissed me deeply, leaving me a little breathless and then leaned back, his eyes darkened with emotion. When I recovered, I grinned at him widely. "What are you grinning at, my love?"

"Just thinking how I can work Eddie and Teddy into the conversation a little more often," I replied, mischievously.

"Is that right?" said Edward, attempting to glare at me, but failing miserably. "I see that I will have to be a lot more severe with you." He moved his hands down to my wast and then suddenly started to tickle me. I squealed and struggled, but couldn't get away as he tickled me.

"P... please... st...stop!" I gasped. Edward laughed darkly and paused.

"Do you yield?" he asked, his breath whispering against my ear. When I didn't immediately respond, he resumed tickling me.

"Yes! Yes!" I cried.

"And will you be calling me anything other than Edward from now on?"

"No! Just... just Edward. Or maybe Mr Cullen? Or..."

"Bella," he warned, fingers hovering. I leaned in close to him, my nose touching his.

"Or my love," I murmured, before pressing my lips back to his.

"That I can live with," he replied.


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

"So, how will I know what to take if you don't tell me where we are going?" I asked. Edward smiled and lifted up a small suitcase.

"I have packed for you," he replied. I looked at him quizzically for a moment, trying to decide if I was mortally offended he had packed for me or secretly flattered he was so loving. In the end I decided it wasn't a big deal; I hated packing anyway.

"Well you should know that if we're going somewhere hot, I need at least factor fifty because I burn real easy," I said, looking at his face to gauge his response. He merely shook his head and chuckled to himself, before opening the passenger door of his Volvo for me.

"Put your seatbelt on," he said, as he climbed in beside me.

"You always tell me to put my seatbelt on," I replied. "And my seatbelt is always already on."

"Just concerned for your safety, love," he replied, turning the key in the ignition.

He pulled away smoothly, without the speed that he usually employed and I glanced across at him. He had attempted to tame his hair today, but had had little luck as already it was springing up. His finger tips drummed against the wheel as he steered and his golden eyes were fixed on the road ahead, but his lips were slightly curved in the hint of a smile.

"It is somewhat distracting, my love, trying to drive, with you staring at me," he said, eventually.

"You stare at me all the time when I am working," I countered. Edward grinned; he had no argument for that because it was true. When I worked, he hovered in the bar area, or occasionally at the manager's table and watched me the whole time, his eyes boring into me. Strangely, I didn't mind; it made me feel safe. He reached across and patted my leg, then left his hand on my knee, keeping his other hand on the wheel. I brought my hand down to cover his and wondered again at how smooth and cold his skin was. "Edward?"

"Yes, my love?"

"Did you speak to Jacob before we left?" His hand tightened momentarily and his lips twitched before he responded.

"Yes, I spoke to Jacob. You need not worry about anything; his pack has the area secure."

"Pack? Why do they call it a pack? I thought packs were dogs. Surely gang would be a more appropriate term?"

"Perhaps you should ask Jacob about that," replied Edward, smoothly.

"I did. He changed the subject."

"I'm sure he did," muttered Edward. I glanced across at him.

"You don't like him much, do you?"

"I have no problem with your friend." But his jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. Recognising a change of subject might be a good thing, I squeezed his hand.

"Where are we going?"

"To see Dr Cullen," he replied, after a brief pause. My eyes widened and I stiffened.

"Your parents? You're taking me to meet your parents?" He heard the panic in my voice, because he turned to look directly at me for a moment.

"Esme is very keen to meet you," he said.

"Esme?"

"My mother," he replied.

"So your parents are vampires too?" I asked.

"They are my adoptive parents. Carlisle was the one who changed me and Esme is his wife. They brought me through the difficult transition period and taught me their way of life. As you are aware, not all vampires hunt and feed on animals."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me we are going to meet your parents," I said, after his words had sunk in. "What if they don't like me?"

Edward laughed and brought my hand to his lips.

"Oh Bella, I am taking you to meet two vampires and you are more concerned with whether or not they will like you," he said, softly.

"Well, what if they don't?"

"That is their business," he replied, with a shrug, but then he smiled. "Bella they will love you, as I do. Trust me."

I didn't respond, just sat and stared out of the window, watching the scenery flash by, as wave after wave of anxiety washed through me. They would love me? I was human, while they were immortal, probably stunning, vampires who would no doubt wonder if their adoptive son had lost his mind becoming involved with a waitress at his club. Particularly a waitress with a chequered past. Edward sighed.

"Love, what are you thinking?" he asked.

"Nothing," I murmured. Edward suddenly turned the wheel sharply and veered into a lay-by, pulling up and getting out of the car. He was at my side so quickly I didn't have time to register he had stopped the car. He unfastened my seatbelt and lifted me out of the car, folding me into his arms.

"Bella, please don't be so nervous. I should not have told you where we are going. Maybe if you had just gone straight in..."

"I would have killed you," I responded, managing a small smile. Edward smiled back, knowing that even if I really wanted to I couldn't kill him. "Well maybe not have killed you. Maybe just withdrawn all kissing privileges."

"You might as well have killed me then, my love, because without your kisses I could not live," he replied, dropping a light kiss on my lips as if to prove his point. "Now, will you try to relax? My parents are not monsters... well I suppose technically they are, but they are not..."

"Edward, it's fine," I said, before he could ramble himself into a discourse about his own monstrous nature. "I'm ok now. Let's just... let's just get there."

We drove the rest of the way in silence; I was still very nervous about meeting his parents, but Edward seemed content that he had eased my anxiety levels a little. He headed down a long lane which led to a large, modern house. From the front, it looked as if the whole house was made of glass, with wood panels in between. Trees grew all around it, but far enough away that it was bright and light in the clearing. Standing on the doorstep, in front of the door, was a tall, slim man with short blonde hair and a petite woman with reddish brown hair swept into a forties-style chignon. Both were elegant and impossibly beautiful. I glanced down at my blue jeans and pink sweater a little doubtfully, but Edward squeezed my hand.

"You look beautiful, my love, just perfect. Come on!" He hurried round to open my door and handed me out of the car. "Carlisle, Esme, may I present Isabella Swann."

Carlisle smiled at me, warmly and took one of my hands in two of his, shaking it, before Esme pulled me to her for a motherly embrace.

"Hi," I said, a little shyly.

"Oh Bella, it is so wonderful to finally meet you," enthused Esme. "I have heard so much about you! Alice was just on the phone, saying you would be here within minutes."

"A pleasure to finally meet the girl who has captured Edward's heart," said Carlisle, looking at his son, proudly. I flushed.

"I don't know about that," I mumbled.

"Oh I do. You're all he's talked about for the last few months," said Esme, easily. Edward rolled his eyes.

"You make me sound like an obsessive," he said, as Carlisle took one of our bags from him. Esme laughed.

"You are obsessed, darling, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Come, Bella, let me show you to your room. I am sure you would like to freshen up before dinner."

"Thank you," I said, a little overwhelmed. Carlisle and Edward followed us into the house, as Esme linked arms with me, easily. She seemed completely relaxed and I envied her that; my own heart was thumping so hard I was sure they could hear it.

"I am sure you are very nervous, dear," she said, suddenly. "We were too when Edward said he was bringing you home for the weekend. He has never brought a girl home before. I do so hope you like your room; I wasn't sure what your taste might be. Alice suggested lilac; she said it was calming." Esme opened the door to a large bedroom. The walls were tastefully painted in lilac and cream and a pair of thick cream curtains hung at the window. There was a four-poster bed in the centre of the room, with lilac voiles hanging around it and a beautiful floral eiderdown. Another door led into an en-suite bathroom with a large claw-footed bath, separate shower cubicle, wash basin and WC. I stared open mouthed.

"Wow!"

"You like it?" asked Esme, anxiously.

"It is beautiful!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, I am so pleased," said Esme. "Human tastes can be so varied... well. I will leave you to settle in. Edward, have you got Bella's bag?"

Edward came into the room and smiled.

"Of course. You've done a good job of the room. It looks amazing," he said, dropping a light kiss on Esme's cheek. She smiled up at him, warmly.

"Perhaps next time a little more notice, Edward," she replied. "A week to get this ready was not really enough time. I wanted to have a heated floor in the bathroom..."

"Honestly, Esme, it is fine," he said, dropping another kiss on his mother's brow.

"I will go and see what Carlisle is up to. Dinner is at seven."

"Thank you," I said, as she closed the door, leaving me alone with Edward. He smiled at me, warmly and pulled me to him, kissing my lips softly.

"They love you, as I said they would. Esme was more nervous than you were. She was worried you would hate your room or judge them for being vampires."

"Why would I do that?" I asked.

"Bella, you were worried they would judge you for being human," he said, with a smile. I blushed and ducked my head.

"I guess," I replied. "Well, I might have a shower and change before dinner. What should I put on?"

"Just jeans and a top; we don't dress for dinner, love," he said, with an easy smile. "There are towels in the bathroom that you can use and probably a robe behind the door. I'll give you an hour, ok?"

"Ok," I said. He gave me a gentle kiss and then left me alone to shower and change.


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

"So, Bella, tell me, how are things at Twilight these days? I haven't been since it opened," said Carlisle, handing me a glass of red wine. I took it and sipped.

"Great," I said. "It's always busy and we get some really nice people come in."

"Yes, Dad, she is telling the truth," said Edward, rolling his eyes. "We don't just have vampires; in fact the majority of our clientele are businessmen or the local elite."

"And they are nice?" said Esme, raising an eyebrow. I smothered a giggle at Edward's scowl. "Forgive me, Edward, but I believe your definition of the elite of the city was 'a bunch of up themselves idiots' who had 'more money than sense'?"

"Yes well, they pay the wages," he muttered, tapping his foot against mine as I giggled at him.

"Will you be taking Bella into the woods while you are here, Edward?" asked Carlisle.

"I think so, yes. A bit of hiking would be nice and I want to show her the meadow."

"Well be careful. I think there is a wolf out there," said Esme.

"We picked up the scent earlier today," added Carlisle. Edward cleared his throat and glanced across at me.

"I don't think the wolf will bother us," he said, giving me another pointed look. Carlisle raised an eyebrow and Esme gave him a startled look.

"Bella is a close friend of Jacob Black," said Edward. I scowled, puzzled by the sudden change of subject and even more so by the exchange of looks between Carlisle and Esme; the sudden relief. My brain started to whir in my head and realisation started to sink in. How could I have been so stupid? Jacob was constantly referring to his boys as his pack. And he would sometimes growl and snarl in a similar way to Edward, but with a bit more animal than human. He was constantly hot...

"Bella," began Edward.

"Would you please excuse me, I need to make a call," I said, getting up from the table, abruptly. I took my phone from my pocket and pressed the call button.

"Bells, hey. You ok?" Jake picked up on the first ring.

"Why didn't you tell me you're a wolf?" I demanded. The phone cut off and I gave a cry of rage, but then a figure appeared below the window. It was Jacob. I hurried out through the backdoor and stopped a couple of feet away from him. It was cool outside and he was wearing a pair of long shorts and trainers; nothing else. I stared at him, open mouthed for a moment. He looked like he had been seriously working out the last few months; his body rippled with muscle. I took a step towards him and Jacob held his hands out in front of him, defensively.

"Look, Bella, I don't know what Edward has told you..."

"He hasn't told me anything. We were talking about going for a hike and then Esme mentions a wolf in the woods. Suddenly Edward is talking about you. It didn't take much. I have been such an idiot! How did I not see what you are? It was staring me in the face... But then again, I didn't realise what James was..."

"Yes you did, Bella," said Jacob, suddenly grabbing me by the arms. "Sweetheart, you did. The first time he hurt you... you called me and told me what he'd done and you told me what he was. Don't you remember?"

I shook my head, a memory was stirring, but it drifted away dream like before I could hold it, of a frantic phone call to Jacob soon after I had moved in with James, but I couldn't get a hold of why I had called him or what I had said. All I could see were James' eyes, blood-red fixing on mine and his voice, soft and quiet calming me.

"Why didn't you tell me about you? I thought I was your best friend; the closest thing you have to a sister?"

"You are, Bells, you are, but I could hardly just say, 'Hey, Bells, know what? Your boyfriend is a vampire and I'm a werewolf!' How would you have felt? I wanted to tell you, so many times. When you lived with me for those few months, you were so subdued, so quiet. I knew you needed a total change of scenery and you needed somewhere you would be safe. I sent you to Twilight because they look after their girls and... well I knew about the Cullens and the Hales. We have a longstanding treaty with them; that's why it was so easy to get you in there."

"So... you can change into a wolf?" I stammered, after a stunned silence. Jacob gave me a half-grin.

"Yes, a big wolf, but a wolf yes."

"How?"

"My family. The Quileute have always been shape-shifters and they have always taken the shape of the wolf. Originally they did it to protect themselves from the Cold Ones. Over time we became aware that not all vampires were human blood suckers. Carlisle Cullen was responsible for that. He made the treaty with my great grandfather and we have worked together since then to keep the area blood sucker free. Until James came along."

"I don't understand," I murmured.

"What don't you understand?" asked Jacob.

"Why didn't you stop him? Why did you let him take me?" I asked. Jacob bowed his head, as if struggling for an answer.

"Because Jacob was not wolf then," said Carlisle, appearing at the door. "James' presence is what caused the youth of the Quileute to change. And then they had to adapt to the change, which took time."

"By the time we were ready, Charlie had been killed and you had completely shut down, Bella," said Jacob, giving Carlisle a grateful look. "I wanted to tell you so badly, but you were so vulnerable, so completely crushed by what happened to your dad... And you knew what had happened. You would scream in your sleep, screaming that he was a vampire. James couldn't get physically near you because of the pack, but it was like he was in your head all the time." I flushed, nearly saying he was still in my head now, but I held the thought in.

"You can't blame yourself for that, Jacob," said Carlisle, softly.

"I try not to, Carlisle," he replied. "But you weren't there..."

"No, we should have taken more responsibility for James. He is after all one of our kind."

"We made mistakes on both sides," Jacob finally conceded. "And the worst mistake was letting you run away. I hadn't realised you were so desperate, so low. All our efforts were concentrated on keeping James and his cronies at bay. Laurent and that bitch Victoria showed up soon after James. You must have met them while you lived with him..."

"Yes... I recognised them when they came into Twilight, but I don't remember meeting them," I said.

"James must have glamoured her," said Carlisle, softly. Jacob nodded.

"We figured as much, but at the time, it seemed wrong to make her remember. We thought it would give her some peace if she didn't remember. She seemed to accept that Charlie's death was an accident..."

"No," I said, vehemently. "I knew his death wasn't an accident. I knew it! That's why I had to leave; I couldn't live with the guilt."

"Guilt?" echoed Jacob.

"If I had gone back to him, he wouldn't have done it... my dad would still be alive..." I broke off with a sob. Jacob grabbed me suddenly and pulled me to him in a tight embrace.

"Sweetheart, he would still have killed Charlie, whatever you did. He was obsessed with you! And you would probably never have known what he was doing, because he would have kept you locked away."

"And he would have gradually removed all your family and all your friends," said Carlisle. "Leaving you feeling you were to blame, regardless. That is what vampires do I am afraid."

"Not all vampires," I murmured, thinking of Edward, who suddenly appeared in the doorway and glanced from Jacob to me, his expression unreadable.

"I hadn't realised you were guarding her personally," he said, his voice a little tight. Jacob gave him a wide grin.

"And miss the opportunity to see the famous Cullen woods? Not to mention spending a bit of time with my girl here."

I dug him in the ribs, recognising the teasing note in his voice; he was trying to get a rise out of Edward. Jacob just grinned even wider and tightened his grip round my waist when I went to pull away.

"Stop it," I said, slapping him lightly on the arm. He laughed and let go of me. I walked over to Edward and slipped my arm round his waist, glancing up at him, but his gaze was fixed on Jacob, who just grinned right back at him before turning to me.

"So are we cool, Bella?" asked Jacob, suddenly serious again.

"I guess," I said. "As long as you aren't hiding anything else from me."

"How are things in Forks, Jacob?" asked Carlisle.

"We still have him trapped in Bella's dad's place. He's pacing the walls from what we can see..."

"But he's definitely still in there?" I asked, nervously.

"Yeah he's there. He has a very distinctive stench."

"He must be starved by now," said Esme, softly. I hadn't even heard her come out.

"We care nothing for that," retorted Jacob. "Weaker he is the better."

"It could take decades for him to truly need to feed," commented Carlisle. "If a vampire drinks human blood they need to feed a lot less than those of us that abstain."

"What about his friends?" asked Esme.

"Long gone," replied Jacob. "I guess they weren't as close as he thought. They abandoned him as soon as Sam and the rest of the pack appeared." I shivered involuntarily.

"Bella you are cold, we should go inside," said Edward, suddenly pulling me closer to him. Jacob smiled.

"Don't worry, Bells, I'll be out here, keeping watch. You look tired; go get some sleep. Good night." And with that he ran towards the woods, phasing as he went until all I saw was a large tawny coloured wolf running into the trees, before pausing to look back at me through yellow eyes. Edward turned us and led the way back into the house.

"He was only teasing," I mumbled. Edward glanced down at me, looking a little puzzled but then he sighed.

"I know what he was doing; you forget I can read his mind. What he was actually trying to do was make you smile."

"Well that's ok, isn't it?" I asked, hesitantly.

"Of course," he said, dropping a kiss on my head, but somehow it sounded like it wasn't ok at all.


	20. Chapter 20

**_Hope you are all still enjoying the story. This is a bit of a longer chapter, but I figured it's the weekend :-)_**

CHAPTER 20

Edward's arm rested comfortably around my shoulders as I lay back against his chest, cuddling as close to him as I could. He chuckled, softly.

"Love, if you come any closer, you will be inside my pocket," he said. I smiled up at him and leaned up to kiss his cheek before settling down again. "Are you alright? I mean after finding out about Jacob."

"Yes," I murmured, sleepily. "I suppose I always knew really. He was... different. Even before James. He was always really agile and fast. And hot..." Edward stiffened and I laughed. "Not like that! I mean his temperature."

"Good. I am glad to hear you do not think of him like that," said Edward, kissing the top of my head.

"I only think of you like that, Edward. I love you." And then my eyes fluttered shut and I sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The sunlight glinted through the trees, spreading light that sparkled like emeralds and diamonds all around us. The path was well maintained, if a little rugged in parts and to either side grew beautiful flowers and plants. Birdsong filled the air above us and now and again I heard the howl of a wolf, as if Jacob were reminding us of his presence. But the howl was in the distance; allowing us some measure of privacy.

"Careful, my love," said Edward, grabbing my arm when I stumbled on a stone, distracted by the sight of a deer watching us from a cluster of trees. I straightened and smiled at him.

"It is beautiful here, Edward," I said.

"I thought we could do with a bit of time alone, my love," he replied. He took my hand in his and led me off the path through the trees to a meadow. Sunlight streamed down on us and I stepped out, staring in awe at the beauty of the gently swaying grasses and flowers.

"Oh Edward, it is beautiful," I murmured, turning to face him. He tipped his head back and smiled up into the sunlight. A million jewels seemed to glint across his exposed flesh; his face, his arms, his neck. He laughed at my reaction and slipped his fingers down to his buttons, undoing his shirt so that the light bounced from his chest, reflecting in my eyes, making me blink, dazzled by him. Finally, he sank down onto the soft grass, placing his hand behind his head and staring up at the sky. I looked down at him for a moment, chewing on my lip thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking, my love?" he asked.

"I am thinking why do you love me?" I said, softly. Edward frowned and looked directly at me, then patted the grass beside him. I lay down and he pulled me close to him, resting my head on his chest.

"I love you because you are perfect," he said.

"No, you are perfect. Look at you! Oh, Edward..." He stopped me, placing a gentle finger on my lips, before gently moving me so that I lay flat on the ground. He leaned up on his elbow so that he was laying over me.

"Isabella Swann, you are beautiful, hard working, kind and not to mention amazing." He punctuated each word with a kiss to my cheeks and then my throat. Finally, he paused over my lips and smiled. "When you are not being a tease, of course."

"A tease?" I queried, trying to sit up, but he easily kept me held beneath him.

"Asking why I love you, as if it were a total mystery..." A kiss to my left cheek. "Getting drunk in the workplace..." A kiss to my right cheek. "Calling me inappropriate names" A kiss to my lips. I giggled and leaned back.

"If you keep doing that, I might have to keep on teasing you... Eddie."

Edward's eyes narrowed and before I could protest his hands slipped under my top and tickled me along my ribs until I squealed and struggled, begging him to stop. We sank down again and he pulled me back against his chest, as I tried to catch my breath.

"Bella, I do love you," he said, suddenly. I snuggled against him and smiled.

"I know," I said. "But you'll never love me as much as I love you."

He shook his head and laughed.

"Start that and I might have to tickle you again," he threatened. I grinned.

"I think I've been tickled enough for one day," I said. "It is so beautiful here. Why did you move away?"

"Well strictly speaking, this is still my home. It is the Cullen and Hale family home, has been for the last fifty years or so. We have of course adapted it over time to suit the changing tastes of the modern world. Esme likes to be in touch with modern culture. She is something of an interior designer; an artist really."

"She has a beautiful home," I agreed. "What does Carlisle do?"

"He's a doctor, works at a hospital about forty miles away."

"I remember you saying he was a doctor," I said and then broke off as a memory filtered into my head. I was laid on a table in a hospital, screaming, my hands over my stomach. A man with golden brown eyes and short blonde hair came in and gently moved my hands. He sent the other staff out of the room and then lowered his face to my skin. And then the memory fluttered away.

"Bella?" Edward leaned up so that he could look at my face. "Are you alright? You're very quiet."

"I... Edward I think I have met Carlisle before," I said. Edward sighed deeply and then kissed the top of my head.

"He mentioned that he had seen you before, but he would not tell me when or why."

"Couldn't you just read his mind?" I asked.

"No," said Edward, shaking his head. "If someone knows what I can do, they can stop me by blocking their thoughts. Most of my family can do that, although Alice generally doesn't bother."

"Really? Why?"

"She's very open as I am sure you have noticed." He was silent for a moment and then he looked at me thoughtfully. "Bella, I asked you once if James had ever hurt you..." I stiffened. "Please, Bella, tell me what he did."

I went to move away from him, but he held me fast until I relaxed against him again.

"I told you how he changed when we moved in together?" I said eventually and he nodded. "At the time, I didn't understand why he was so obsessed with my neck and my wrists and my stomach..." I paused, taking a deep breath. "My neck and wrists were always visible and at first I was still going to work and seeing my friends a bit, so he left them alone. Instead if I did something he didn't like... he would make me lay down on the bed and... God I wish you could read my mind!" I broke off, tears forming in my eyes. Edward squeezed me.

"I wish it too my love," he replied, softly. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and stared up at the sky, willing myself to tell him; to get it over with. "Bella, if it is too hard..."

"No, it's ok. I can do this. The first time he did it; he put me on my back on the bed and ripped my t-shirt away. He pinned my hands out of the way and then he bit me on my stomach, over and over again. I never felt anything like it... I was screaming in pain. It hurt so much..."

"Venom," murmured Edward, his hand moving down to cover mine, which had moved down to my stomach. "Who took you to Carlisle?"

"Jacob, I think. I must have fainted after a while and when I woke up I was in the hospital and Carlisle was... he was leaning over me and I could feel his mouth on my stomach, sucking at the wounds. I have... I have scars all over my stomach. He never did it like that again; he just used to nip me, hard enough that it hurt, but not so much I'd faint or need to go to hospital. But the pain... sometimes I wished he would just... I don't know; hit me instead..."

Edward took a sharp breath and pulled me closer to him.

"He should never have hurt you at all," he growled. "I am just so glad Carlisle removed the venom or you could have been... I would never have seen you..."

"I thought he would eventually kill me," I said, flatly. "But it wasn't me that paid the price of meeting him... it was Charlie. And he didn't deserve to die."

"Neither did you, my love," said Edward, quietly.

"Why me, Edward? Why did he want me so much?"

Edward was silent for a long time, so long I thought he wasn't going to answer me, but then he sat me up, cupping my face in his hands.

"Because of your blood, my love," he said, quietly. "Your blood is so strong I can smell it even now and I know if I were to drink it I might never have to drink again." His eyes darkened momentarily, but he forced himself to remain still and calm, even as my heart rate accelerated.

"Are you tempted to kill me, Edward?" I asked. He shifted his hands to my arms and gripped me so tightly that I gasped.

"No, Isabella, I am not. I will not allow anyone to kill you! You are mine!" His eyes turned pure black and I gasped, which seemed to bring him back to his senses. He released me and took a step back, turning away from me briefly. His shoulders slumped. "Forgive me, Bella. I must ask you though, how can you love me? How can you bear to be around our kind after what he did to you?"

Tears stood out on my eyelashes and I crossed the clearing, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"Because I _am_ yours, Edward. I am always yours. I will love you forever."

He whirled round with inhuman speed and whisked me up into his arms, kissing me with so much passion that my head spun as he set me back on my feet. When I recovered enough to look up at him I saw that his eyes were golden brown again and he was looking down at me a little sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm sorry that he hurt you so much and that I wasn't the one to save you."

"You have saved me, Edward," I murmured. "In more ways than you could ever imagine."

He held me close a moment longer and then, keeping hold of my hand, led me back towards the forest.

"We should head home," he said. "I think Esme has an evening of entertainment planned."

"Entertainment?" I queried.

"The others are coming back too," he replied.

"Alice and Rosalie?" I said. He nodded and smiled at my happy squeal. I squeezed his hand. "I'm glad I told you," I said, suddenly. "I never talked about it before; I thought it would be too hard. But I... I feel better now that I have."

"Then I am glad it was me that you told," he murmured.

"Other people knew, but I didn't tell them. They kind of worked it out for themselves. I guess you would have soon enough."

"You think so?"

"Well when we... you know." I flushed red and a smirk formed on his lips.

"When we what, Isabella? Remember I can't read your mind."

My eyes narrowed and I pulled back on his hand, stopping him. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him down so that we were face to face. Keeping my eyes open so that I could see his reaction I kissed him hard on the mouth, flicking my tongue along his lips until he granted me entry, taking pleasure in the shocked expression on his face. He allowed me to dominate his mouth for a moment, but then tipped me back, his eyes twinkling with mischief, as he took control back from me. We were both a little breathless when we straightened up and he put a casual arm round my shoulders.

"Alice is wondering where we are," he said, softly. "We will discuss the matter of..."

"Come on, Edward, spit it out. I can't read your mind," I said, teasingly.

"We will discuss the matter of making love when we are completely alone," he said, giving me a light squeeze. I felt my skin redden again and he chuckled, darkly. "I do love it when you blush, my love."

I dug my elbow in his ribs but he just chuckled again.

"Bella!" A dark haired whirlwind flew through the front door and jumped on me, nearly knocking me over. Edward steadied me.

"Alice," he said. "Lovely to see you too, sis."

She gave him a light punch in the arm.

"I was getting to you, Eddie," she replied. I stifled a laugh, unsuccessfully. Edward raised a warning eyebrow in my direction and then glared at his sister.

"Alice, don't tease him," said Jasper, appearing at the door. He looked at Alice solemnly for a moment before turning his steady gaze to Edward and then to me. "Edward. Isabella."

"Good evening, Jasper," I said. Alice rolled her eyes at the formality of my tone of voice and grabbed my arm.

"Chill out, Bella. He's not your boss here. He's no one's boss here!"

"Is that right?" he asked, fixing her with a look that would have had me quaking, but which Alice just laughed at. She approached him slowly and then yanked his face down to hers and kissed him on the mouth. When she released him, he smiled. "You are right, Alice. I am no one's boss. You are the boss here; the boss of my heart."

"God, get a room!" cried Rosalie, appearing at the door, with Emmett behind her, his arms wrapped round her waist.

"Hey Bella," he said, giving me a big grin. Rosalie stepped out of his arms to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. She looked up at Edward.

"I hope you are looking after my friend, Mr Cullen," she said.

"Of course I am. Better than you have recently," he retorted.

"If you are referring to the little champagne incident..." she started.

"Rosalie, I would suggest that we not bring that particular incident up," said Jasper, coldly, all the affection disappearing from his voice. I shivered, but then Emmett laughed loudly.

"I don't know what you're so worked up about; I never saw anything as funny in my life as Edward's face when Bella called him Eddie!" And he roared with laughter again. Jasper's lips twitched, but then he too laughed. Soon we were all falling about laughing, especially when I told them I called him Teddy too.

"Teddy!" repeated Emmett. He came over and lifted Edward off his feet, spinning round with him. "Aw, come on little Teddy Bear."

"Isabella, just you wait until we are alone," said Edward, glaring at me when Emmett put him down.

"Children, children, can we stop laughing at Edward and come inside," cooed Esme's voice from the door. Edward grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips as we went inside. I smiled up at him, knowing he wanted to reassure me that he wasn't really angry with me.

Esme had filled the room with candles and flowers when we went inside and the room glowed gently, making me feel like we had entered a dream world. I stood for a moment staring round in awe.

"Wow, Esme, the house looks amazing!" I said.

"I'm so glad you think so, Bella," she said, giving me a warm embrace. We went to sit down on the sofa and Edward drew me close to him. Carlisle appeared, holding a bottle of champagne. Edward raised an eyebrow, as Rosalie and I exchanged a glance and giggled.

"Girls," said Esme, quietly and we looked away from one another deliberately. Edward tipped his head back and looked sideways at me, his gaze filled with warmth.

"You look so beautiful when you are happy, my love," he murmured softly. I blushed and he leaned closer. "And when you blush you make me want to take you straight upstairs." If possible, my face turned even redder.

"Edward," said Carlisle and I looked up, wondering if he had heard what Edward said. If he had he gave no indication of it. Instead, Edward got to his feet and crossed the room to a piano, flexing his fingers. As he sat down on the stool, with his back to us, I sat up a little straighter. I didn't know he played. From the first note, I was spellbound. His fingers danced across the keys, each note pulling me into the tune, making my heart soar or ache depending on the melody. He paused and then looked over his shoulder at me.

"Did you like that, Isabella?" he asked.

"Yes," I breathed my hand over my heart.

"Good, because I wrote it for you." He looked straight at me and I drew in a long breath to steady myself. At that moment I loved him more than I had ever loved anything else in my life.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

We were laying side by side on the bed later on that night and Edward was stroking my hair, as I dozed against him.

"Edward, can I ask you something?" I said, sleepily.

"Of course, my love, anything."

"Will you change me?"

He stiffened for a moment, but then spoke, mildly. "Why would I change you? You are perfect as you are."

"Edward, you know what I mean."

"Bella, you don't know what you are asking," he said, staring straight up at the ceiling.

"I do. I've been thinking about it for a while. If I were a vampire, I could be with you forever and... and I could protect myself. I wouldn't have to be afraid anymore."

"You don't have to be afraid now, Bella. I will protect you."

"What if you were hunting and he appeared..."

"Jacob and his wolves are always there too, Bella," he pointed out. "You will always be safe and protected. You don't need to be a vampire."

"Well what about the fact that you won't make love to me properly because you are afraid to hurt me?" I said. Edward winced visibly and took a heavy breath. Beyond kissing and some excessively gentle petting on his part, he would not take our relationship any further, despite his promising words that afternoon. He leaned up on his elbow so that he could look down at me and ran a finger down my face.

"Bella, you know what I am; what my kind is capable of... If I lost control for even a moment, I could seriously hurt you or even kill you. I don't want to bring _him_ into this conversation, but you have seen what a lack of control from a vampire can do to a human."

"You're wrong about that," I said, stiffening against him at the mention of James. "James never lost control with me; just that one time when Jake had to get me to the hospital. After that he was so in control that he was able to hurt me sufficiently to get his point across but not enough to seriously damage me."

Edward glared, black fire in his eyes.

"You think _that_ constitutes control, Isabella? That he did not hurt you badly enough to put you in hospital again?"

I shivered at his tone and went to move away, but he was suddenly on top of me, pinning my wrists so that I could not move.

"I will never hurt you, Bella; I will never force you to do anything you do not wish to do." He looked down at me with so much love that I sighed, a mixture of happiness and frustration confusing my emotions.

"Edward, hasn't it occurred to you that I _do_ wish to do everything with you? I trust you. You would never hurt me..."

"Bella, you don't know that. I don't know that! You have no idea how much self-control I have to use when I am around you."

I flushed.

"I'm sorry to be such an inconvenience," I muttered, struggling against him, but he held me easily, though his touch was still gentle. His eyes flared again though and he drew in a frustrated breath.

"Isabella, you are not an inconvenience! You are the woman I love and until I am convinced I can control myself sufficiently, I will not place you in danger. Am I clear?" His tone of voice was domineering, like at work and I scowled.

"Yes, sir, Mr Cullen, very clear," I pouted, knowing I sounded like a whiny child. To my surprise and disgruntlement, Edward laughed and kissed my lips briefly.

"Ah, Bella, I do so love it when you call me sir," he said. I tried hard to glare at him, but with his golden eyes shining down at me, with so much love in them, how could I? I gave up and smiled.

"Well, _sir_, I hope you feel in control soon, because otherwise I might explode. The other option of course is to change me..."

"Change you so I can have my wicked way with you?" he teased, leaning down to kiss my throat, as his hand trailed down my side and then up to cup my breast. I gasped at his touch and he chuckled darkly against my throat.

"Stop trying to distract me, Cullen. This is a serious conversation," I said, catching on quickly to what he was doing. Edward huffed and removed his hand, then flopped down beside me again, leaving me aching for his touch. When I regained my senses, I sat up and leaned over him, trailing a light finger down his jaw line as he looked up at me, with a lazy smile. Looking at his beautiful, forever young face, another thought occurred to me; a painful image of me old and grey, clutching a walking stick as he waltzed out of my life to find someone younger, more beautiful.

"Ok, so what about when I am fifty and you are still twenty four? What about when I am an old woman, waiting for death and you know you will live forever?" I said. He took a deep breath and then released it slowly, painfully.

"Let me think about it, my love," he said, eventually. I smiled to myself, knowing that I had found a winning argument. He might be able to protect me from James, but he couldn't stop me from aging and ultimately dying unless he changed me.

"OK, I promise I won't mention it again," I said, softly. He cuddled me close to him, stroking my hair gently.

"Bella, it isn't that I don't want to, you know. I just want to do it for the right reasons; for you to want it for _you_, not just for me. I am concerned for your immortal soul, my love."

"Well, if I have you, my soul will be safe, won't it? You are so perfect, Edward..."

"In your eyes," he laughed. "Some of the girls at Twilight might disagree."

I thought about that for a moment and remembered Rosalie telling me he was far scarier than Jasper. I had never really seen that side of him, apart from the day I was returned to Twilight after my ill-advised flight. Even then, he had been angry, but still very much in control.

"Why are they all so nervous of you?" I asked, suddenly. Edward smiled, but it was a tight, cruel smile that made me shiver.

"Because I am the person who hires and fires. They need to see me as ultimately being in charge and in order for them to see that, I have to maintain a certain amount of distance."

"So why is Rosalie afraid of you?"

Edward barked out a short laugh.

"I have known Rosalie since she was a little girl; Jasper was my closest friend. When he was left to bring her up, I assisted somewhat. I suppose we were both a little strict with her at times, but believe me, Bella, she was not the easiest teenager."

I giggled, I could imagine that. Rosalie had a mouth on her and the idea of her sassing Edward as a teen made me laugh even harder. He shook his head at me.

"So did you have to chastise her?" I asked, with another giggle. Edward quirked an eyebrow at me.

"No, Jasper handled that sort of thing. I was mainly there for back up."

"Glaring at her from the sidelines then?" I queried. "Yes, I can see why that would scare her."

"Bella..."

"'Rosalie Hale, you better behave or I will glare at you!'" I mimicked his voice, earning _myself_ a cold glare, as I dissolved in a fit of giggles.

"Isabella, you had better behave yourself, or I will tickle you," he said, suddenly climbing on top of me again and running his fingers lightly down my sides. I tried to smother my laughter, but couldn't.

"Yes, sir," I said, not quite managing to sound humble. He groaned and buried his head against my chest, his hair tickling my face. After a moment, he raised his head and looked into my eyes, before lowering to my lips, kissing me tenderly.

"Bella, I do love you, you know," he said, softly.

"I know you do. I love you too," I said, unable to stop the huge grin that formed on my face; I would never get tired of hearing him say that.

"And I want you to know that I would change you right now if I thought it was the right thing to do; but I would be doing it for me, for selfish reasons. When the time is right, I will do it, Bella, if it is what you want."

"Thank you," I said, softly, knowing how much it had taken for him to say that. I kissed him tenderly on the lips and then sank down, as he flipped us so that I was snuggled against his chest again. As sleep claimed me, I felt his lips pressed against my forehead and wondered again at how much this man loved me.


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

Lazily, I stretched and headed into the bathroom to clean my teeth and splash some water on my face. We had had a lovely day, hiking with the rest of Edward's family. They brought a picnic, which only Rosalie and I touched, though I noticed her appetite seemed to be waning. I knew why; I could see the gleam in Emmett's eyes and the answering smile in Rosalie's; with or without Jasper's help it seemed that she was gradually changing. Edward had been very attentive all day, holding my hand and helping me over the smallest branches. If the others hadn't been so wrapped up in one another, perhaps they would have noticed too, but I was glad they didn't.

Once I had changed into a cami and shorts, I went through to the bedroom. Edward had gone to hunt with Jasper and Alice, leaving me alone, but I was so relaxed in the Cullen's house that I wasn't worried. In fact, part of me almost revelled in the couple of hours I would be alone. Edward had left Wuthering Heights on the bed for me and I was looking forward to diving into a classic and then getting an early night.

I glanced over at the window and lifted the curtain, to see Sam, in wolf-form down below. Jacob had needed to return to his ranch and so Sam had taken over for the last two nights we would stay there. Sam bowed his head and then resumed pacing in front of the house, his ears and nose alert. It made me feel safe knowing he was there; I had surprised myself with how quickly I had got over the fact that Jacob was a wolf. But then I supposed that having a vampire as the love of my life possibly made other supernatural beings slightly easier to accept.

As if on cue, my phone beeped, alerting me to the fact I had a text. I opened the message and smiled, it was from Edward.

_Enjoy your book, my love. I will try not to wake you when I come in._

My lips curved into a smile as I typed a reply. Before it had sent, my phone beeped again and I laughed. The smile froze on my lips; I didn't recognise the number.

_You think I am cornered by your dogs in Forks. I am not. Look out of your window again, Isabella._

My hand flew to my mouth; no he could not be there. I had just looked; Sam was there. If James was anywhere near he would have caught his scent, driven him away. Hesitantly, I went to the window and searched the ground below. There was no one there. With a sigh of relief, I went to turn back into the room when my gaze was caught by a movement in the tree outside my window. Red eyes stared at me from the branches, lips curled into a smile that revealed razor sharp teeth.

"No... no..."

My heart seemed to stop beating for a moment and then suddenly Rosalie was in the room, her arms round me. I couldn't work out why she was screaming or why she had come into me. But then I realised, the screams piercing the night were mine, not Rosalie's.

"No, Jacob, don't rush back here. You need to check the house in Forks. We have Bella covered. I called in a favour from Alec; he's sent some of his own pack down here. They are on patrol now; at least they know the area. No, she's ok... in shock, but ok."

I half heard Sam's voice, as I gripped the glass of brandy Esme had poured me tightly in my hands. Rosalie had brought a blanket through and dropped it over my shoulders, keeping her arms round me. She had touched my hands and feeling the chill in them grabbed the blanket and wrapped me in it. Carlisle and Emmett were by the door, speaking in voices so low I couldn't hear them.

"Edward is on his way back," said Emmett, suddenly. I didn't ask how he knew, just heard the name of the one person I wanted. Suddenly, Rosalie was standing to the side and the glass was gone from my hands. Bronze hair fell over my lap and cold hands gripped mine tightly. Suddenly piercing eyes that phased from gold to black and back again met mine forcibly.

"Bella, are you ok?" he murmured, his velvet voice a balm to me. I started to nod and then shook my head as sobs welled in my throat and I threw myself into his arms.

"Edward," said Alice, softly, as he held me. He lifted his head and looked at her, keeping me pinned to his chest.

"No," he said.

"Son, it might be the only way to keep her safe," said Carlisle, quietly.

"No," he repeated, a little more vehemently.

"Edward..."

"No! I will not have her make such an enormous decision on the basis of that... that bastard's threats!" I flinched; I had never heard Edward swear before.

"Edward," I murmured, leaning back from him. He looked down at me and I saw the sorrow in his eyes; he might not be able to read my mind but he knew what I was going to say. "He... he was right outside my room, even with Sam down there, watching. He was proving a point; he can get me any time he wants. Change me, or he will kill me."

"She is right, Edward," said Alice, softly. Esme looked across at Carlisle, her eyes wide with sorrow and somehow I knew Alice wasn't just backing me up; she had seen it, seen my death at James' hands.

"Even if I change her right this second, she will need time to adjust. She will be a danger to herself and anyone else who goes near her..."

"Apart from you, Edward. You will be her maker. She will be unable to harm you," said Carlisle, thoughtfully. "You are strong enough to hold a newborn down anyway, particularly one who is completely devoted to you."

Edward was silent, looking deep into my eyes, before he stepped back, running agitated hands through his hair.

"Bella, you need to know exactly what this will entail. It is not a quick thing, the change and it can be extremely... painful."

"If James gets hold of me that will be extremely painful," I countered. Edward glanced round at his family and then sighed deeply.

"Jasper, you should finish Rosalie's change as well," said Esme, suddenly. Jasper looked at his sister through hooded eyes and then gave a tight nod.

"If James is coming, he won't be coming alone," said Jasper, quietly. "Rosalie?" Emmett suddenly placed a large hand on Jasper's arm.

"I think I should do it," he said, quietly. Jasper looked up at him and then glanced at his sister. "Please, Jasper. I want to do it. You know how I feel about the little she-cat."

He looked across at Rosalie warmly and she smiled back, a little nervously I thought, surprised.

"Jazz, I love him. Let him do it," she said.

"Fine," said Jasper. "Just be careful you don't take too much. And don't use too much venom, or it might kill her."

Emmett held out a hand to Rosalie and then led her from the room. Edward looked down at me, his eyes dark with emotion and then held his hand out to me.


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

Alone in our room, he paced for the longest time, glancing down at me occasionally and then running his hands through his hair again.

"Edward," I said, nervously biting my lip. "Please." He paused in his pacing, but still wouldn't look at me properly.

"Bella, are you sure about this? I mean, it is going to really hurt. I don't want to hurt you, my love."

"Will it hurt like James hurt me?" I asked, a little hesitantly. Edward looked down at me and then gave a curt nod.

"But the venom will flow through your whole body, not just your stomach. And then your heart will stop. Your skin will tighten until you become like me, cold and heartless."

"Edward, you aren't heartless..."

"You might not believe that after you have endured the change," he muttered. "You might hate me when it is done."

At that moment, my phone beeped again. Reluctantly I opened it and read the text.

_I cannot wait to taste you Isabella._

Edward read it over my shoulder and growled. His eyes went black and he grabbed me, wrenching me to my feet. I gasped at the sudden violence of his touch and he looked straight into my eyes.

"I love you, Bella. Remember that whatever happens next; I love you."

And then he threw his head back and reared forward so quickly that I didn't see him coming, just suddenly felt his teeth rip into my throat. The pain made me scream, as hot liquid dripped down my neck. He kept drinking and I remembered his words just days earlier when he had said if he drank my blood he would never need to drink again. My hands pushed weakly against him.

"Edward," I whimpered. "I love you."

He growled and then withdrew from my neck. I slumped against him and he carried me to the bed. He then lifted his wrist to his mouth and bit until his own blood flowed. He clamped his wrist to my mouth.

"Drink," he ordered, grabbing the back of my neck and holding my mouth to his wrist when I tried to move away. He was strong; much stronger than I had ever realised; his grip like iron on me. Finally, he let go of me and moved away from the bed. A scream wrenched from my throat as my whole body started to burn with agony. No movement or stillness stopped the agony that flowed through me. When my throat ached too much for any sound to come out, I sobbed, still opening my mouth to scream silently. Edward leaned against the doorframe, watching me and I saw tears gathering in his eyes. My eyes blazed with fire and my lips stung from the sudden sharpness of my teeth.

Suddenly, it stopped and I sank down. Edward was there, catching me before I touched the floor. He held me in his lap for what must have been hours, days. Daylight and moonlight passed as I lay there, my head cushioned by my love's body. He never moved, as my human body died around me. My last heartbeat, my last necessary breath all going, with piercing agony so great I could not move or cry out. It burnt through me like ice now; sensations I had never felt before.

One moment I was lying inert and then suddenly I was at the window. I had thought to move and then I was there. Edward got to his feet and watched me tensely.

"Bella, love, how do you feel?" he asked.

"Thirsty," I said, hoarsely. And then I wanted to see myself. Again, the thought came as quickly as the action and a mirror was before me. I stared at my reflection. My hair was thicker than it had been before, thick with red, gold and brown highlights. My skin was like porcelain, creamy and pale, without a blemish and my eyebrows were perfectly arched. I brought my hands to my bust and found that my breasts were firmer and fuller than they had ever been. Hesitantly, I lifted my top and saw that the scars I had been frightened of Edward seeing were gone. My skin there, as everywhere else was smooth as marble. I glanced up and met my eyes reflected in the glass. Panic washed through me and Edward was suddenly there, his hands on my hips, holding me steady.

"Why are my eyes red?" I asked. "Why do I look like him? Why am I not like you?"

"You need to feed. At the moment you still have some human blood in your system; that is why your eyes are red. When you have fed on animal blood, they will become like mine."

My throat burnt at the mention of blood and I rushed to the window, thinking only that outside there were animals; a source to cure my thirst. Edward's strong arms wrapped round me from behind before I could leap through the window.

"Bella, no. Patience, love."

"I need to drink," I growled. Edward grabbed my face in his hands and forced me to look at him.

"We will go and hunt, but first I need you to listen to me."

"I don't want to listen; I want to drink." All I could feel was the thirst burning and his prevention of me achieving my aim to drink was making me angry. He moved his hands down to my arms. I struggled, but found he was surprisingly strong.

"Isabella, you will do as I say!" he said, firmly. "We will go hunting when I decide. First, you will listen to me!"

I struggled and managed to turn myself, but he pulled me close to him, my back resting against his chest, one arm around my neck, while the other pinned my wrists behind me.

"When we go out to hunt, you will stay close to me. You will only drink what you need and you will pay attention to when you are full. Are we clear?"

"I just need to drink!" I hissed. He tightened his grip on my throat.

"I asked if we are we clear?" he growled.

"Yes! We are clear! Please, can we go now?" I whined.

"We will go when I say so. The woods should be empty, but if there is anyone there, you will come back to me immediately, whatever you are doing. Understood?"

"Fine, back to you," I said, though in truth I barely heard his words, the thirst was raging through me. At that moment, if he did not take me outside to hunt, I would have his blood, any blood to satiate that need. He shifted his grip to my hand, holding me firmly.

"Come."

He led me out. If the others were in the house, I did not see them; all of my focus was on getting outside.

"Now remember, Isabella, you are a lot faster and a lot stronger than you were. Try not to cause too much damage to our woods. And like I said, only take what you need. Stop drinking when you have satisfied your thirst; do not be greedy."

I growled in response. Why was he torturing me with all these instructions? I wrenched my hand free and looked around me, revelling in my stronger senses as I realised I could see further, hear more and smell... I could smell blood. Suddenly alert, I padded silently into the trees and saw a deer looking away from me. It twitched as if aware it was being watched, its large eyes surveying the area nervously. The part of me that was human rejoiced in the simple beauty of its lithe form; the vampire in me attacked before the deer had time to react, taking it down instinctively, as my new teeth ripped at its throat. The deer made a strangled sound and then its blood poured into my throat. I drank and drank, feeling the life draining from the animal into me. Despite my reluctance to listen to him earlier, Edward's words played in my ears and I remembered him telling me to stop when my thirst was slaked. I tipped my head back and dropped the deer's carcass on the forest floor and then turned to face my maker.

"You didn't waste any time," he said, with dry humour.

"I was thirsty," I replied, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand. Edward came across to me and lifted a cloth to my face, wiping all traces of blood from my skin and then he gently wiped my hand in the same way. His touch made me freeze and when I met his eyes, I saw they were black.

"You need to hunt," I observed. He laughed, darkly.

"Yes, you took a lot from me, Isabella," he said. "How do you feel now that you have fed?"

"I feel, different... not so angry... does that make sense?"

"Yes. It is difficult to focus emotions when you are thirsty."

I remembered him the night I was attacked in the club; his eyes black, his stool knocked back and felt a stab of recognition. My own fury had engulfed me and had he not held me in the bedroom, I would have leapt through the window in an effort to quench my thirst.

"I have to say, Isabella, you are very calm for a newborn," he commented, suddenly, surprising me.

"What do you mean?"

"I had expected to have to restrain you a little more..."

Before I could respond, a scent caught my nose that alerted my inner animal and I snarled, as a wolf appeared around a tree. The wolf phased and suddenly a familiar figure was standing before me.

_**I hope you are liking Bella the vampire. I'm just going to say though, as relates to what Edward just said, famous last words hehe! He might be changing his mind very soon...**_


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

"What the hell have you done to her, Cullen?" he demanded, barging up against Edward. My lip curled and I snarled at the man squaring up to my maker. Edward on the other hand seemed unfazed by the aggressor.

"You knew this was a possibility, Jacob," he said, calmly.

"No, what I know is that in one breath you are refusing to change her and in the next she is a fully fledged vampire full from her first kill!"

"Jake," I started and he whirled round to face me, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Shit, look at you, Bella! How could you let him do this to you?"

"Because if James comes for me, I need to be able to protect myself," I said, folding my arm across my chest and meeting his eyes. Jacob gave a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his black hair and then nodded curtly.

"I can see you've found an excuse, Cullen, but I can't help but think there's more to it than keeping her safe. I've managed to keep her safe the last three years without changing her into some damned supernatural being! She doesn't need this shit on top of everything else. Do you know how difficult newborns can be; how unpredictable they can be?"

"She is doing very well up to now," said Edward, smoothly. Jacob took a step forwards, towards me and I stared at him, as if seeing him for the first time. His arms bulged with muscle and his chest was perfectly sculpted. His stomach had the most perfect six pack and my eyes followed a thin line of black hair down from his navel, curiously. Having just phased, Jacob was completely naked. Jacob followed my eyes and flushed beet red.

"Like what you see?" he suddenly bit out. I met his eyes without a flinch and felt a surge of lust.

"Very much," I replied, my voice husky suddenly. Jacob's eyes widened as I took a step towards him, but then Edward grabbed my wrist tightly and forced me to look up into his black eyes.

"Isabella, keep your eyes off of him. He is not for you," he growled.

"But he is so beautiful," I breathed, my eyes finding Jacob again, who was standing staring at me as if I had grown another head.

"Bells, I'd be flattered if it weren't for the whole newborn vampire thing, but seriously..."

"I want him," I said, stubbornly looking up at Edward. Edward growled again low in his throat and his eyes narrowed to slits.

"Jacob, could you excuse us for a moment? Perhaps meet us back at the house. Esme will make you welcome."

Jacob looked from Edward to me and then held his hands up in surrender.

"Sure thing. You made the problem, you sort it out," he said. He glanced back over his shoulder and then phased into a wolf before galloping towards the house. Edward kept a tight hold of my wrist as Jacob vanished and then began to circle me, his eyes never leaving my face.

"You don't frighten me," I said, after a lengthy silence in which Edward had continued to prowl around me, as if ready to pounce.

"Is that so, Isabella?" he asked, his voice deceptively quiet. I felt a shiver, but managed to squash it before he could see. "You need to control your base instincts a lot better than that."

"Why?" I asked. "Why didn't you just let me have him?" My voice sounded a bit whiny now and I shook my head, as if trying to clear it. My entire body and mind were fixed on the lust that had rushed through me when I looked at Jacob.

"Because, Isabella, you are mine. And no one else will have you, ever."

My eyes narrowed as a surge of defiance swept through me, before the Bella I had been before the change fought inside my head for some attention. A wave of embarrassment swept through me as I pictured Jacob's face; the man who to all intents and purposes was a brother to me.

"Shit, Jacob!" I suddenly exclaimed and covered my face with my hands.

"While I share your sentiments, Isabella, some control over your language would be appreciated," he said, smoothly.

"Edward, what is happening to me?" I asked, feeling panic welling inside me. He laughed, darkly.

"You are vampire now, Isabella and all your darker instincts will come to the surface. The person you thought you were is still there, but she will be guided by the side of yourself you have always consciously repressed. The more animalistic side of your nature shall we say?"

"Are you mad with me?" I asked, looking up to find him standing directly in front of me, his eyes meeting mine forcefully. His expression was closed though, giving nothing away, bar the blackness of his eyes, which suggested some sinister emotions just beneath the surface.

"We shall see how you answer this question, Isabella. Who do you belong to?"

"You, Edward," I mumbled, bowing my head. But he tilted my face back up to him and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"The next time you feel such carnal emotions, remember that the only person you give in to those emotions with is me. I am your maker and any decision about whom you share your desires with is mine to make. Are we clear on that?"

"Yes, Edward," I murmured, feeling surprisingly subservient. He nodded and let go of me.

"Come, we will return to the house. And remember what I said; if you feel that you cannot keep your emotions in check, tell me." He sounded so stern that I looked away and nodded. Edward sighed and then spoke again, very quietly. "Isabella, I still love you, but I have to help you get control quickly. You are doing really well, but we cannot afford for any slip ups. I need you strong and ready to fight, because he will come for you and I want you to be ready."

I simply nodded, his words giving me some comfort, but already the vampire in me was fighting to regain control, pushing against me at the mention of James, ready to fight him now, whatever the consequences. But I repressed the urge to run and followed my maker.

We entered to find Jacob sat clothed at the table in the dining area, with Esme and Carlisle. They were deep in conversation and didn't seem to notice us come in.

"Where is James?" Edward's sudden question made Jacob give a sharp intake of breath and then he shook his head.

"We've lost him. When we went got into the house, there was a kid in there, wearing his jacket. That's where the scent came from. He had been in there but was somehow able to get in and out without us seeing him. I can't tell you how he managed that."

"He was desperate for Bella's blood; I am sure he was able to formulate plans that would allow him to exit his self-imposed prison in order to get to her," replied Edward.

Jacob glanced across at me and his skin reddened again. He pushed his chair back and got to his feet.

"Thanks for the drink, Esme," he said, politely. "I should get back on patrol. I'll see you later." He paused when he reached me and I looked up at him, before ducking my head.

"Sorry, Jake," I mumbled. Jacob smiled down at me and placed his thumb under my chin, forcing me to look up at him.

"Hey, Bells, it's fine. I know I'm irresistible to women." He grinned and I giggled, softly. "Stay safe, ok?"

"Ok," I murmured, watching as he disappeared out the door. Edward's hand tightened over mine briefly.

"It's ok, they won't let him get to you," he said.

"Let him come," I said, my heart filling with such a rush of hatred that it nearly caused me to stumble. "I am not the frightened little girl he left."

"Indeed you are not," said Esme, getting up from the table with a warm smile. She crossed the room and embraced me.

"Amazing for a newborn. Edward, you must be so proud!" said Carlisle, staring at me. Edward looked across at me from the corner of his eye, but didn't respond to his father's comment.

"I need to hunt," he said. "But she needs watching very carefully. She does have admirable control, but the slightest thing could tip the balance. I would suggest that you take her into the basement, so that you have the option of locking her in if she becomes too much of a handful."

"I don't need locking away!" I protested, feeling a wave of anger mingled with panic sweep through me.

"You will do as I say," said Edward, sternly.

"It might be for the best, dear. I will come with you," said Esme. "Come on. Edward will not be gone long."

"Fine," I huffed and followed her down to the basement, glancing over my shoulder to see Edward looking at me through hooded eyes. I was thankful for my improved hearing as I overheard him and Carlisle speaking quietly as I was led away.

"She is doing amazingly well, Edward. How have you achieved such control?"

"I remembered how you told me you changed Esme," he replied, quietly. "That you held her in your arms as she made the transition and it made your bond stronger. I hate having to be this way with her though."

"Newborns crave a strong leader, Edward," countered Carlisle.

"I know, but I don't want her to hate me or worse fear me," he said.

"Edward she loves you; remember she may be a vampire now but she is still Bella. She is still the girl you fell in love with and the girl you would risk everything for."

"I know that; but will she see me as the man she fell in love with or the vampire who changed her?" His voice was so full of sadness that I nearly turned back up the stairs, but then my shoulders slumped. He would see my reappearance as defiance of what he had asked me to do and most probably force me into the basement, locking the door behind him; all he saw was the animal-like vampire I had become, not the girl who was still in here, despite the changes to her body and her mind.


	25. Chapter 25

**_Hope everyone is still enjoying the story. Just want to say a big thank you to Girlicious-ShaneLover for the review and the messages of encouragement; much appreciated. Thank you too to everyone who has added The Club as a favourite story; glad people are enjoying it :)_**

CHAPTER 25

I was laying flat on my back on the bed in our room, watching as Edward paced up and down, agitatedly. The pack had caught James' scent close the edge of the woods and the rest of the family had gone to check their boundaries. Rosalie it seemed had taken to being a fully-fledged vampire particularly well, though as she had been gradually changing anyway this was hardly a surprise. Edward was reluctant to allow me around the family, other than Esme or Carlisle who had plenty of experience with newborns and ignored some of my temper tantrums or more embarrassing lust-filled conversations and yearnings. Coming on to Carlisle was possibly right up there with being found naked in the middle of Central Park in the embarrassment stakes. Carlisle and Esme weren't at all put out, but m skin felt hotter just thinking about it and not in a good way.

It had been a fortnight since I had told Edward I wanted Jacob and I had calmed somewhat since then, though he still watched over me closely. Sometimes I liked his constant presence, feeling protected and loved, but occasionally I felt claustrophobic, unable to move without his say-so. We had had some almighty arguments in the first week, which he always won, leaving me sullen and resentful, but as I regained control over some of my baser instincts, I was desperate to make amends with him. Everything he was doing was for my own benefit; restricting my feeding times, keeping me close to him, teaching me how to control my emotions. He had also been teaching me how to defend myself, which he said I had taken to like a duck to water. Esme had laughed and told him I was stronger than I looked. Indeed, I had discovered I was stronger than both Esme and Carlisle one night when Edward was out...

... "I don't see why I have to stay in while he goes wherever he wants whenever he wants," I muttered, forgetting that Esme and Carlisle's hearing was just as good as mine, if not better.

"Dear, Edward needs to hunt. He cannot do that when you are with him because he is too concerned with your safety to look after his own needs. You know that," said Esme, glancing up from the book she was reading. Carlisle was standing by the window, his hands in his pockets.

"I am sick of being trapped in this house," I growled. "It's like being in fucking prison."

"Bella, please, do not use such language; you know Edward doesn't like it," said Carlisle, looking across at me a little nervously. I curled my lip disdainfully.

"Well, as usual Edward isn't here to approve or disapprove of what I do."

"You know that he has to keep his strength up, Bella. If James attacks..."

"I am sick of hearing about James! I am perfectly capable of protecting myself from James. And I am going out." I turned in a huff towards the door, but found Esme blocking my way.

"Come on, Bella. Why don't you read a book...?"

"I don't want to read a fucking book!" My voice came out louder than I had intended and before I knew what I was doing I had grabbed her and shoved her away from the door, hard. Esme landed with a grunt against the table, clutching her ribs.

"Isabella!" snapped Carlisle. He stalked across the room to me and grabbed me by the arms, holding me firmly. "You need to calm down, now!"

"Get your hands off of me!" I screamed, fighting him off of me and then shoving him across the room. Rage surged through me and before I even knew what I was doing, my hands were grabbing at anything and everything they could, launching furniture and ornaments through the air. Esme cowered against the table and Carlisle lay where he had landed, for now immobile.

"Isabella!" My maker's voice had cut through the air like a knife and I froze for an instant with shock before launching myself at him, hands outstretched with the intention of attacking him. He caught me easily and then pinned my arms to my sides. I screamed and ranted, but I could not get out of his grip. Finally, exhausted, I sank against him, sobbing. Edward sat down, pulling me onto his lap and cradled me until my tears were spent...

... That had been something of a turning point for me, as I started to regain control, but Edward became more wary of me being alone with anyone other than himself. He took responsibility for all of my actions and words and I became fearful he would start to resent me.

I sat up on the bed.

"Edward?"

"What?" His voice was clipped, impatient and he didn't stop pacing.

"It's ok, it doesn't matter," I mumbled, lying back down, reluctant to speak to him when he was clearly irritable. Edward paused and took a deep breath, as if trying to calm himself.

"No, go ahead, Isabella. What is it?"

"I just wondered if you had heard anything from the others?" I asked, a little nervously.

"Nothing. I would tell you if I had." He still sounded tetchy and so I sank back into my own thoughts; my own fears of his resentment clouding my mind. I felt a dampness on my cheeks and sat up, turning away from him, not wanting him to see my tears.

"Can I have a shower?" I mumbled.

"Go ahead," he replied. Gratefully, I closed the door between us and switched the water on. Part of me wished that I had never been changed. If I was still human, he would still love me, treat me as if I were made of glass, instead of treating me with this antipathy, this barely concealed contempt. He had not held me since that night I destroyed the living room of the house and he barely spoke to me, other than to give me sharp instructions or orders.

The water cascaded over my flesh and I revelled in the sensations, which since I had become a vampire were so much more acute. We had been hunting earlier that day, before having another training session and my muscles had ached when we returned; Edward pushed me hard.

"Oh Edward," I murmured, feeling tears welling in my eyes again. I rubbed at them with the back of my hand and then shut the water off. Drawing a towel around me, I sat down on the toilet seat, reluctant to go back out and face him; knowing he would be pacing still, occasionally looking at me through suspicious and angry eyes. I didn't seem to evoke any other emotion in him these days but frustration and irritation. I closed my eyes, remembering him kissing me in the meadow that day; remembering him promising to discuss making love to me. Heat swept through me; even then I hadn't wanted to _discuss_ making love. I had wanted to get right down to the action! I still did, especially when lust was at the forefront of my mind in the very early days.

And then I remembered how his eyes used to look at me with such depths of love, I felt I could drown in them. I just couldn't see any love there now when I looked at him. Suddenly, I heard his voice, speaking in a low tone that I wouldn't have heard as a human.

"Why would they get this close and then turn away? No, I can't reach his mind... yesterday his thoughts were so loud he might as well have been screaming them in my ears... Nothing I care to share, just disgusting images of what he intended to do with Isabella when he got his hands on her... Of course I didn't tell her! What do you take me for? She has more than enough to contend with. Yes, she is doing really well. There have been no more violent episodes... It is very hard keeping this distance from her... Look, I'll have to go. She'll be out any minute. Let me know if there are any further developments... I agree; he is trying to draw us out. We won't be drawn. If we're going to fight it'll be on our terms not his. Be careful."

The phone cut off and reluctantly I turned the handle on the bathroom door.

"Any news?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. Edward barely looked at me, as I stepped from the bathroom wrapped in the robe from behind the door, my hair glistening with moisture from the shower.

"Nothing really. They have withdrawn again." His short answer brought fresh tears to my eyes, just as I had thought I had my emotions in check.

"Ok," I managed to get out. Keeping my back to him, I went across to the bed and picked up the jeans and t-shirt I was going to put on, and then headed back to the bathroom to change. It wasn't that I was ashamed to change in front of him; I had never been prouder of my body; but if he looked at me with disgust it was more rejection than I could handle.

"Isabella," he said and I bit back a sigh.

"Bella," I interrupted, without turning round. There was silence for a moment and I glanced over my shoulder to see him looking at me quizzically. "I don't like you calling me Isabella," I mumbled, pushing the bathroom door open.

"When you are dressed, we will go downstairs for a bit if you like. Alice and Rosalie are back; they want to see you." His voice was a little gentler now, but I barely noticed as I closed the door behind me and dressed.


	26. Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

Rosalie, naturally, looked even more stunning now that she was a vampire. Her change was subtle and anyone who didn't know her well might have assumed she just spent a bit more time on her hair and make-up, but I knew she wasn't wearing make-up and her hair would look like that even if she had just got out of bed. Her lips curved into a smile of welcome when I followed Edward into the room. I smiled back and welcomed her embrace. Alice glanced from Edward to me and then back again, raising a puzzled eyebrow.

"Go on, Edward, leave her alone for five minutes. We have masses of girl talk to catch up on," said Rosalie, waving him away dismissively.

"I'll be in the library if you need me," he said, with such formality in his voice that I winced.

"We won't," said Rosalie, firmly. Edward glared at her but then turned and left, stiffly. She rolled her eyes and turned back to me. "Is he always like that? It's like he's got a whole tree up his ass!" I smothered a giggle at her very accurate description and Rosalie grinned. "Now that's better, much more like the Bella I know and love."

"How has it been for you?" I asked, curiously. Rosalie smiled widely.

"The best! I guess I was lucky, because I had already started the change; it didn't hurt as bad as it might have. Everything is stronger though; I can see and hear better than ever and..." She lowered her voice, glancing at the door to check no one was around. "The sex has been out of this world!" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and leaned back, sighing with such deep contentment I would have blushed if I were still human.

"What about you?" asked Alice. I looked at her and tried to smile, but my lips faltered. "Bella?" was all she got out before I dissolved into bitter sobs. Alice and Rosalie were stunned for a moment, but then they surrounded me, their arms round me, gentle kisses landing on my cheeks and my head. When I finally calmed down a little, they leaned back.

"What the hell has he done to you?" demanded Rosalie.

When I finally calmed down enough to speak, I told them how it had been for me; the excruciating pain, the blood lust, the general lust and the gradual distance Edward had put between us, even now that I was more in control.

"I think he hates me. Please, you have to help me. I have to get away from him; let him have his life back. He regrets changing me; in fact I think he regrets meeting me."

Alice shook her head, ready to vehemently deny this, but I stopped her.

"Alice, he hates me. He never touches me and he barely speaks to me. The last time he touched me was to hold me when I lost it a couple of weeks back. Since then I think he believes I am some sort of monster. I can control it now... I'm trying so hard to be what he wants me to be, but he doesn't even notice. I can't live like this for eternity. Is there a way to reverse it?"

"No," said Rosalie. "And if there were, we wouldn't tell you because this is total rubbish."

"Rose, he loved me when I was human. Now he despises me. Sometimes I catch him looking at me as if he isn't sure who I am anymore. And to be honest, I don't know myself. God, some of the things I have done... Esme and Carlisle probably hate me too..."

"Bella, trust me, I was much worse when they changed me," said Alice, with a giggle. "I wrecked the whole house. Jasper had to tie me up..."

"Ok, Alice, we're not discussing your bedroom habits here," said Rosalie, trying, I knew, to lighten the mood.

"As a matter of fact, he had to tie me up because I had Carlisle pinned by the throat in the kitchen, with a meat cleaver in my hand. I think he made a comment about the top I was wearing that I didn't like..."

"Seriously?" said Rosalie, rolling her eyes. "Yes I can imagine that..."

"But Jasper stayed with you and Emmett has stayed with you. Edward might be in the room with me, but it isn't _him_ anymore. He's like a prison warden. Every time I move he hovers nearby and he won't let me anywhere near anyone else. This is the first time he's left me alone in forever and he still had to leave instructions. I feel like a teenager again! Even Dad was more relaxed than this. Please, I can't carry on like this... I've never been so unhappy."

"Oh, Bella," murmured Alice, tears in her eyes.

"I know vampires can be killed," I said, miserably. "I wish he would just kill me and get it done with..."

"Bella," said Alice, softly, enveloping me again in her warm embrace. But my misery had compounded and I found no comfort in her arms around me, or her gentle words.

"I'll kill him!" snapped Rosalie, getting to her feet and pacing, looking down at me through angry eyes. "This is no way to treat her! He is supposed to be her maker! Shit, Alice, he hasn't got a fucking clue!"

"Rosalie, please," said Alice. "Not helping."

"I'll get Emmett to kill him," she ranted. "No, I'll kill him myself! How dare he make my friend so miserable! Where is he?"

As she continued ranting, the man in question suddenly appeared at the door, his face tense. Rosalie crossed the room and before he could speak landed a hard slap across his face that should have knocked him to the floor. I realised that he must have seen it coming though; he'd have seen her thoughts and I wondered momentarily why he did nothing to defend himself from it. His eyes flashed black for a moment, but he maintained control of himself, clenching and then unclenching his fists.

"I would like to speak to Isabella alone," he said, tightly.

"I'm sure you would," said Rosalie, folding her arms across her chest, looking at him as if to say she had no intention of leaving me alone with him. Alice intervened though and got to her feet, gently taking Rosalie's arm and leading her away. When they were gone, Edward gave his cheek a cursory rub, flexed his jaw and then crossed the room to me. I watched warily as he sat down on the couch beside me and actually flinched when he turned to face me, which brought a look of desolation to his features.

"Did she hurt you?" I asked. Edward shook his head.

"Not really. She does pack quite a punch though, always has, even before she was changed." He fell silent and I chewed my lip, a little nervously. "Why would you think I hate you?" The sudden question made me start and I glanced at him before looking away.

"Because I am ruining your life," I said at last. "You bring me to visit with your family and end up having to change me and then babysit me the whole time. I've wrecked everything. If you want me gone, I'll go, or if you think it'd be safer to... you know... get rid of me..."

"Isabella, that is quite enough," he said, sharply. I ducked my head and then looked back at him.

"And that's the other thing. You always call me Isabella. You never used to. I was always 'Bella' or 'my love'. Never Isabella. Edward, don't you love me anymore?"

Edward sighed deeply, without answering me and I felt a flush of horror wash through me; he didn't love me. I sprang to my feet, taking full advantage of my new-found vampire speed and rushed for the door, but he caught me, wrapping an arm around my waist and carrying me up to our bedroom before I could protest. He slammed the door behind us and only released me when it was secure. Breathing heavily, he approached me slowly, as I backed away until I hit the wall. He placed his hands on either side of my head and then leaned in close.

"I love you more than you could possibly imagine," he said, in a low voice. "Do you think it is easy for me maintaining this distance?"

"I don't know," I stammered, trying to turn away from the intensity of his gaze.

"Look at me," he ordered, curtly. Slowly, I turned my face back to him. "Have you any idea what it is like looking at you as you are now? Seeing you so hurt and so miserable? If I had not changed you, you would still be happy. You would still love me. Instead you fear me. I see how you flinch when I speak to you; how you back away from me. You have never been afraid of me, but now..."

"Edward, I am not afraid of you," I said, softly, bringing a hand to his cheek. "I am confused. At the beginning, when I was so out of control, I know you had to be hard on me, but I've tried so hard the last couple of weeks... And you haven't even noticed. You still shout at me and order me about. You never touch me; you never just talk to me. I feel like you hate me."

"No! Bella, no," he murmured. I smiled as he said my name and he relaxed a little, stepping back from me, allowing me some space. "I've been so wound up about James and his cronies that in truth I barely noticed anything else. Let alone the fact that you are now more or less completely in control. It's one hell of a responsibility changing someone, let alone the person you love."

"You love me?" I asked, softly, fearing his response. He grabbed me and pulled me to him tightly.

"I love you, Bella. Of course I do! Never doubt that, never. I will do anything I can to keep you safe, even from myself."

"Yourself?" I was puzzled. He leaned towards me.

"Have you any idea how much I want you?" he whispered. My eyes widened and he laughed, darkly. "And you say you do not fear me?"

I forced myself to meet his eyes, seeing his turmoil and then leaned forwards, slightly, brushing my lips against his. His eyes closed for a brief moment, as if he were willing himself to stay in control. A flash of lust and fury raged through me and I pushed him away, violently.

"You want me, Edward Cullen? You want me?" I snarled. "Well isn't it time you took me? Do you think I am afraid of you? Afraid to make love to you? I am afraid of nothing!"

I span away from him and he watched me through wary eyes.

"Bella, there are things you don't understand..." he started to say. I laughed loudly.

"You think I don't understand? I'm sorry to burst your bubble, Edward, but I am not some naive virgin. In fact, when I was with James he would fuck me until I saw stars," I spat at him venomously. Edward stared at me open mouthed for a moment.

"It's a shame James didn't change me; at least then I could have been with someone who was my equal, who gave a shit about me..."

I hit the wall before I could react to his hand wrapped round my throat. He slammed me against it twice more, winding me.

"You want me to _fuck_ you, Isabella?" he growled, moving his hand from my throat to the back of my head, wrapping my hair around his fist. "Do you even know what will happen to you if I do what you want me to do; if I do what _I_ want to do?"

"Tell me," I said, hoarsely. His grip tightened on my hair, making me yelp.

"You will belong to me in every sense of the word. For eternity you will be bound to me; you will have no choice. It will be as if I have branded you..."

"I am yours anyway."

"You say that now, but when you saw Jacob, you wanted him. When you were alone with Carlisle you wanted him. You've just said you want _James_!"

"I want you." The words came out in a breath. Edward narrowed his eyes and looked doubtful. I brought my hands to his face and fixed him with my gaze. "It has always been you Edward, always. I wanted to change to protect myself, yes, but more than that; I wanted to change to be with you forever. And if I am to be bound to anyone, it must be you."

Slowly, I approached him and then he grabbed me, his hands hard on my arms.

"Do you know what you are asking?"

"Edward," I said, placing a finger on his lips. "You talk too much."

And then I brought my lips up to his, crushing myself against him. Suddenly, his hands were in my hair, keeping me from pulling back as his kiss became more demanding. I ground against him, wanting to feel every part of him. My hands tore at his t-shirt, pulling it from him, so that I could press myself to his chest. He growled and my own top was ripped from me and we were flesh to flesh. His hand came down tentatively to cup my breast and I moaned against his mouth as his thumb began to draw tantalising circles around my nipple. I brought my mouth down to his throat, dropping kisses across his skin and then nibbling at his earlobes. Edward gasped and then dropped his head to my chest, kissing, caressing and nibbling until I writhed against him in an agony of pleasure.

He pushed me towards the bed and I sank down beneath him, slashing his jeans from his skin, even as he tore mine from me. Breathing heavily, he leaned over me, pinning me to the bed.

"I love you, Bella," he said.

"I love you too, Edward," I replied, before he captured my mouth again. His hand came down between my legs and he stroked me gently at first and then faster and harder, as I thrashed against him, desperate to gain some release from the mounting tension.

"Patience, my love," he said, darkly. He hovered over me for a moment.

"Please, Edward," I begged. "Please, I want you. Please." He laughed, but it was a sinister sound.

"I like it when you beg, my love."

I pushed myself up against him and he leaned up, bringing his lips to my throat, but keeping his pelvis lifted away from mine. His eyes darkened and his teeth scraped my skin. I moaned loudly and then cried out, as he entered me, forcefully. Relief surged through me as I felt him fill me; he ground into me and I felt myself building to climax.

"Edward!" I cried, in sheer ecstasy. He climaxed soon afterwards and we lay, still joined. A flood of emotions washed through me, but primarily, a sense of peace I had never known. Edward pushed up and then lay down beside me, staring up at the ceiling, silently. I slipped my hand across the bed to grip his and he squeezed it, gently.

"How do you feel, my love?" he asked, hesitantly.

"Peaceful," I replied, immediately and he chuckled.

"Not exactly the response I was expecting," he said. I smiled and looked across at him.

"It is the best feeling I have ever had," I murmured. "I feel loved, protected and..." I broke off, glancing across at him, as a grin spread across my lips.

"Go on; you know I can't read your mind."

"Wow, Edward! Can we do that every day?"

Edward laughed out loud and suddenly he was on top of me again, his lips crushing against mine.

"Did you see stars then, my love?" he asked.

"About that..." I looked away from him, a little nervously.

"Yes?"

"I kind of lied," I said. "I was really mad with you and I wanted to make you feel bad, so I lied."

"James never made you see stars?" he said, with a smile. I shook my head.

"James would literally fuck and run. You never saw anything so quick. Sometimes, I would wake from sleep and he would be... inside me." I broke off, staring at a spot on the ceiling as I willed myself not to cry at the memory. " He never touched me or kissed me. It was kind of like he was scratching an itch."

"That must have been... painful for you, Bella," he said, after a brief pause. I nodded, remembering the flash of agony I would experience and his laughter in my ear. Fury swept through me at the thought of him and Edward had to restrain me to keep me from leaping from the bed.

"All in good time, my love," he said, softly. "For now, I think we have a more pressing concern."

"Really?" I asked, looking up at him; I could feel his 'pressing concern' against my leg already. "Can I help with that?"

"With what, my love?" he asked innocently. I reached down and wrapped my hand round him, provoking a startled gasp. I met his eyes and he leaned down and kissed me deeply.


	27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

"I take it you two made up," said Alice, the following day when we came downstairs together, hand in hand. Rosalie scowled at Edward.

"Emmett says I have to apologise," she growled.

"Rose," said Emmett, a note of warning in his voice.

"Fine. I'm sorry I slapped you, Edward," she said, before turning to glare at Emmett, who met her gaze unflinching. Edward laughed.

"I am glad you did, Rosalie. I think perhaps you knocked some sense into me."

"There, see!" exclaimed Rosalie, bringing up a frustrated hand and scowling at Emmett, who ducked his head.

"Yeah well, I wish you would find a way of knocking sense into people that doesn't have to be quite so literal, Rose," he muttered. I stifled a giggle; poor Emmett looked so frustrated sometimes, but then Rosalie got up and ruffled his hair affectionately.

"You wouldn't love me as much if I did," she said. He grinned up at her.

"You're probably right," he said. He glanced across at me. "I hope you don't give _your_ maker such a hard time."

It was meant as a joke but I diverted my gaze, feeling a wave of anxiety, remembering just how bad things had become between Edward and me. As if sensing my mood change, Edward squeezed my hand and smiled down at me. Carlisle looked across at us affectionately.

"It is not easy being responsible for a newborn, son," said Carlisle. Edward smiled at his father.

"I think perhaps I have a little more sympathy for you now," he said. "It's just lucky we don't bruise too easily or if we do they heal quickly."

I glanced up at him and he laughed, pulling me close to kiss my head.

"I have news," said Jasper, suddenly appearing in the doorway. Edward held me against him, so that my back was to him and I couldn't see his face.

"What news?" he asked, keeping his tone neutral.

"James. He is at Twilight," said Jasper, quietly.

"Alone?" asked Emmett.

"No. He has Laurent and Victoria with him. They have ejected our staff and sent a message via Jessica. We must give him Isabella or he will start draining our clients, creating a media storm that will ruin us."

"And probably bring the Volturi as well," murmured Alice. She looked across at Edward, who was immobile behind me. "Edward, we have to do something!"

"Who are the Volturi?" I asked, though just their name was making me shiver. Edward's hands on my waist tightened momentarily.

"The vampires who govern us. They wipe out any who might bring us to public attention, any who have become a danger to our own kind," he replied, tightly.

"Well what are we waiting for? Take me to him," I said, looking at the worried faces of the others.

"No, Bella," murmured Edward, burying his face in the back of my neck. I wriggled out of his arms and turned to face him, seeing the desolation on his face.

"But Edward, this is the reason you changed me... so that I could protect myself. Please, Edward..."

"He could still hurt you, my love," said Edward.

"But at least now I can hurt him too," I replied, with a smile. Carlisle laughed softly.

"She has a point there, Edward. She is very strong and she has the element of surprise. James does not know yet that she is a vampire. He thinks that she is still a human girl whose blood he can drink."

"We can use that to our advantage," said Jasper, slowly, his mind clearly working in overdrive. I watched Edward's face, as Jasper spoke and shivered. He was staring down at me, as if willing me to disagree. "We go back to the club, take Isabella with us. She will need to look as human as possible. I would suggest some make-up, Alice and tie her hair back. Maybe shades and a baseball cap might be a wise idea. When we are inside the club, we ensure it is emptied of all humans; clients or otherwise. Isabella, you will go in alone; he will think himself completely safe. The rest of us will wait in the background. Hopefully he will be so struck by your presence that he will not think to search for others. And when his attention is taken..."

"We will kill them, all three of them," said Alice, her eyes shining.

"I don't like this," said Edward, starting to pace again. I watched him and sighed, placing myself in front of him and putting my hands on his chest. He stopped, looking down at me, his expression unreadable.

"Edward, Jasper's plan is a good one. James is not expecting me to be there, at least not me as I am now."

"But what if he should hurt you?" murmured Edward, placing a gentle hand on my cheek. "I couldn't bear it, my love."

"He can't hurt me, Edward. Not while I have you." He brought my hands to his lips and kissed them, looking deep into my eyes and then sighed deeply.

"Very well, we will do things your way, Jasper."

"What of the pack?" asked Esme, suddenly.

"We will have them surround the area, keeping innocents away from the scene if they are agreeable," said Carlisle. "The last thing we need is additional victims to supply James with. I will speak with Jacob and Sam, see what can be arranged."

"We should get ready to go," said Emmett, getting to his feet. He paused when he reached me and squeezed my arm. "I got your back, Bella, as always. James is just another drunk in my eyes; because he's drunk on blood instead of alcohol doesn't make him any harder for me to deal with."

"Thanks, Emmett," I said. Rosalie smiled and gave me a hug.

"I have the most fabulous six inch stiletto which will look great embedded in that bastard's heart," she said. I giggled and hugged her back, tightly.

Edward took my hand and led me back to our bedroom, where he clasped me close to him for a moment.

"You remember all of our training?" he asked, holding me away from him and bending to look directly into my eyes.

"Yes."

"Remember there will be three of them there when we get there, all of them no doubt full of human blood, which makes them particularly strong. We will hunt before we leave, but they will still be stronger."

"Stronger than you?" I queried. Edward smiled, sadly.

"Much of my strength lies in my speed, Bella. Fortunately, I doubt they can match me for that."

"Are they stronger than Emmett?"

"I don't think anyone is stronger than Emmett," he replied, with a laugh.

"Then stop worrying, my love," I said. "I will be safe. With you there, what could possibly hurt me?"

Nevertheless the journey back to Twilight was tense. Edward's hands were tight on the steering wheel, his knuckles white. His jaw twitched in the way it always did when he was tense or angry and I couldn't help the shiver of apprehension. We didn't speak; words seemed pointless. Both of us knew we were driving into danger; we both knew that despite my brave words there was every chance that at the end of this I would be dead.


	28. Chapter 28

_**Just want to say thanks to Tonya Reneesme Cullen for the reviews and EmeraldEyed God too. I really appreciate people taking the time to tell me what they think of the story. Thanks too to the people who have added it as a favourite; I am so pleased people are enjoying this! It's nearly the end, only a couple more chapters to go so if you've read and enjoyed, please send me a review :)**_

CHAPTER 28

"Bella!" Jacob grabbed me as soon as I got out of the car, his arms wrapping round me tightly. I returned his embrace, as Edward closed the car door, then leaned against it with his arms folded across his chest.

"Jake," I whispered, feeling tears rise unbidden to my eyes. He leaned back and kissed my brow tenderly.

"We will be just outside. I will not let that blood sucker kill you," he said, hotly.

"He won't hurt me," I said, softly, but I wasn't sure I believed that anymore. I fought the anxiety that threatened to come to the surface and stepped from his embrace. "It is time."

Edward pushed himself from the car and stepped towards us, but Jacob grabbed me again, planting a kiss on my cheek.

"I love you, Bells," he said. I cuddled him quickly.

"I love you too, Jake," I replied. Jacob nodded to Edward and then loped away, to rejoin his pack. Edward watched him go and then turned to me.

"You are sure about this?" he said, his eyes filled with anxiety and sorrow.

"No," I said, with a dark chuckle. "But I have to do this. And if I can make that bastard feel a fraction of what he made me feel when I was human, I will at least die happy if he kills me."

"Don't say that, my love," said Edward, his eyes widening. I looked up at him and forced some determination into my gaze.

"He won't kill me, Edward. I have a lot more ammo than he has with everything he put me through and I have you."

"Be careful, Bella," he said, softly, as he enfolded me in his strong arms.

"You be careful too," I said, clasping him tightly around the waist. Edward lowered his mouth to mine and gave me a heated kiss. The others I knew were nearby, but they didn't come forwards. We had said our goodbyes at the house; they would remain hidden for now.

"I love you," he said. I nodded and swallowed hard.

"I love you too, Edward, more than you could ever know."

The door opened smoothly, no squeak. It was dark inside, darker still with the shades I wore over my eyes. I pulled my baseball cap down a little so that I could remove the sunglasses, but keep my eyes hidden from him.

"Well, well," said a voice from the shadows. I looked across the room, feeling the old stirrings of terror at his voice, so close. Before I could react, he was behind me, his arm encircling my neck, as his lips grazed my throat. "Ah, your scent! I have missed your scent, Isabella."

"What do you want, James?" I asked, keeping my voice as steady as I could.

"Yes, James, what do you want with her?" The red headed woman suddenly appeared, lounging across the manager's booth, her feet up on the table. She looked across at me contemptuously.

"Isabella knows what I want," he replied, quietly. I tried to step out of his arms, but he held me fast, so that I had to resist the urge to use my newfound strength to remove him. He hadn't yet realised I was no longer human.

"No, I don't. Please, James, let go," I said. He laughed against my ear.

"Ah Isabella, keep begging me. I have missed that. Three years it has been, my pet. Three years! You should never have left me. Look at the trouble you caused. I didn't want to kill any of those people, Isabella. Their deaths are on your conscience."

"No..."

"Yes!" he said, his voice suddenly hard. "The taxi driver, the take away boy, your father and not to mention that lovely girl you worked with..."

My heart had it been beating would have stopped. A chill ran through me.

"You killed Lottie?" I managed to squeak. James laughed, a sinister sound and let go of me, turning me so that he could see my face. I immediaely bowed my head so that he couldn't see my eyes.

"I took great pleasure in killing her; it was her fault that your father came that day and her fault you left me. Her death was slow and painful. Do you remember what used to happen when you were bad?" He placed a hand on my stomach and I flinched. He looked up and his lips curved into a smile. "I did that to her, but she wasn't as strong as you, Isabella. Only a few bites; her stomach, her throat, her wrists and she was gone."

Tears sprang to my eyes; grief raging through me. He laughed again at the sight of my despair.

"Oh Isabella, did you not wonder at the fact that that ridiculous interfering girl disappeared out of your life after your father died? I couldn't have her asking you questions, making you feel any worse than you already did. I was not heartless, Isabella. The death of your father was an unfortunate necessity; he had been trying to track me. And he had taken you from me. I couldn't let him get away with that; I did not want you to be in so much pain..."

"Then why hurt me? Why kill my friends and my dad? You're sick!"

James' eyes narrowed to slits and then he brought his hand back and struck me with so much force that had I been human, my head would have come off. As it was, I landed on the floor, my hand to my cheek. Victoria laughed out loud, jumping up on the table, clapping her hands.

"Oh good, the entertainment!" she cried. James snarled at her and crouched down beside me, as I moved away from him. His hand came out and grabbed my arm, dragging me to my feet.

"You will not speak to me like that, Isabella," he warned. "It seems you have forgotten who is in charge in this relationship..."

"We haven't got a relationship! The day you killed my father any kind of relationship between us was definitely over!" I screamed.

"Hit her again, James!" said Victoria. He grabbed me by my ponytail and looked across at her.

"Shut up, Victoria!" he snapped. "And you had better get control of your mouth, my pet."

"I am not your pet!" I fought the growl that was rising in my throat. Unbelievably he still thought I was human and I didn't want to disillusion him. He pulled my head back, baring my throat to him and leaned down.

"You are my pet and you always will be, or at least until I decide to drain you completely."

"I'd like to see you try," I replied, grabbing his hands and pushing as hard as I could. Oh dear, maybe a little too hard. James landed awkwardly on the floor several feet away.

"Shit, James, that little bitty girl knocked you down!" cried Victoria, giggling. James got to his feet with a furious growl and launched himself at me. His fist struck my face and then before I could react, he looked me dead in the eye and pounded my stomach, over and over again until I screamed. Eventually, he stopped and took a couple of steps back, breathing in deeply.

"Obviously you need a few lessons in how to behave around me again, my pet," he said, looking down at me. The pain left me fairly quickly and I rose fluidly to my feet, slowly removing my baseball cap and tugging the band on my hair so that it fell around my face. My eyes narrowed and I pulled my lips back, revealing my sharp teeth.

"I think, James, it is you that needs a lesson," I said and then launched myself at him.


	29. Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

My fist caught his face and he flew backwards, hitting the wall hard. I followed him and climbed on top of him, pinning him down with my legs as I brought my venom filled teeth down to his neck. James screamed in agony and I laughed out loud. He knocked me away from him, but I managed to get up quickly and before he could land another blow, shoved him back again.

"Fuck! She's a vampire!" came Victoria's voice. James was already back on his feet, but he kept his distance for now, a hand coming warily to his throat, which was already healing, though I saw a scar forming where my venom had permanently burnt his skin.

"Well, well, well, my pet. This only makes things more interesting," he said, rubbing the back of his head. I backed away and crashed against Victoria, who grabbed my arms and pinned them behind me. She leaned down and sniffed round my neck.

"Oh she still smells so good, James. I bet she still has some of that blood running through her veins."

"That's as maybe, but remember her blood is mine. I have waited a long time for it." Victoria growled at his words, but held me fast, seemingly happy to obey him for now. I fell still in her arms and felt her immediately relax her grip a little.

James approached me and I watched him, biding my time until he was close enough and then I twisted out of Victoria's hands and lifted my foot, kicking him hard between his legs. James sank to the floor and Victoria gave a howl of rage.

"Bitch," he groaned. I smirked, remembering how he had forced himself on me while I slept.

"Revenge is a bitch, isn't it, James?" I replied, darkly.

While I was watching James writhe on the floor, Victoria suddenly grabbed me and threw me across the room. I hit the bar area and bottles smashed all around me, showering me with a rainbow of broken glass, as I staggered to my feet. Victoria was helping James up from the floor when I jumped down from the bar. A feeling of rage surged through me; they were going to gang up on me? I stepped through the glass and jumped down from the bar.

"Oh, James," I said, softly. "There's something you should know."

"Really?" he asked, as he and Victoria stalked towards me.

"I'm not alone."

As the words left my lips, the doors swung open behind them and Emmett appeared, a huge grin on his face.

"Who the hell is that?" asked Victoria.

"Never mind him," said a voice behind her. As Victoria turned to face the new assailant, Rosalie's stiletto caught her right between her eyes, knocking her to the floor.

"Told you it would come in handy," she said, pausing to wipe Victoria's blood from the heel, as she balanced perfectly on one leg.

Alice appeared moments later and jumped up onto Victoria's shoulders, twisting her neck and dumping her on the floor.

"Nicely done, my sweet," said Jasper, flinging a lit match on Victoria's corpse. James stared open mouthed and then with a roar of rage he launched himself at me. Before I could react, Edward was crouching in front of me, his lips curled back in a vicious snarl. James halted in front of us, looking from my love to me and then he straightened.

"I see how this is," he said, quietly. "You left one vampire for another. You must have some kind of sickness to keep finding our kind. Your best friend is a werewolf isn't he? What kind of freak are you, Isabella?"

Before I could respond, Edward leapt at him and knocked him to the floor. They moved so fast I couldn't see them, just a blur of movement. And then they were standing apart, breathing heavily. James laughed.

"Perhaps the sickness is catching," he said. "I have never known a vampire love a human so much he would change her just to keep her. You're more of a freak than she is!"

Edward snarled, but then he saw me as I leapt at James from behind and twisted his head, as I had seen Alice do to Victoria. He fell limp to the floor. Emmett threw a lighter down and the flame flared around James briefly before catching into a white hot blaze.

I sank to my knees, watching the fire burn. He was gone. James was gone.

"_I'm so sorry about your dad, Bella." Lottie grabbed my hand and squeezed it as I stood at the graveside, tears streaming down my face._

"_It was my fault," I stammered._

"_No, no, Bella. He was in a really risky job; I know it's not much of a comfort, but he was a hero. He took hits to keep others safe all the time. I'm sorry, Bella."_

"_He took this hit for me," I whispered, but she was already releasing my hand, stepping back, allowing Jacob to take her place at my side. His strong arm surrounded me, cradling me softly against his side as I turned my head to his shoulder and wept bitterly._

"_My fault, all my fault. I'm so sorry, so sorry," I babbled. Jacob tightened his embrace a little and looked over my head. I followed his gaze to see his father, Billy watching us through narrowed eyes._

"_Bella, we know who did this. We will catch him," he murmured against my hair. "Come on, sweetheart, let's get you home."_

_He pulled me away from the graveside, gently and led me back to his truck. When we reached my house, he followed me inside._

"_Do you need anything?"_

"_It should have been me that died, Jake," I said._

"_Do you think that's what your dad would have wanted? Bella..."_

"_One day, Jake, one day I hope I'll be strong enough to... to kill that fucking bastard!" I screamed, before my panicked sobs overcame me and I sank to the floor, breathing heavily. Jacob followed me down and pulled me to him, tightly._

"Bella? My love? Bella, speak to me, please?"

My vision was blurred by tears and I couldn't bring myself to move or to speak. Even as strong arms circled me and tried to bring me to my feet, to pull me away, my gaze remained fixed on the smouldering flames that encased the corpse of the vampire that had destroyed my life. A hand tried to turn my face, but I shrank away from it, keeping my eyes fixed on that blaze. There were more voices now, saying my name, imploring me to come away. More hands reaching out to touch me, to try to divert my attention.

"Bella, don't look. Look away. He is gone, you know that. Bella? Bella?"

"Isabella, look at me." This voice was more forceful than the others and my gaze flickered away from the fire to a pair of golden eyes framed by blonde, untamed hair. "We need to get out of here and Edward will not leave without you. If Edward does not leave then neither will Alice and I have a certain fondness for her. Look at your maker, Isabella. Look at your love."

Jasper's voice forced some sense into me and I blinked, as if seeing them for the first time, gathered around me. Edward was standing before me, his hands on my arms, trying to force me away.

"Edward," I choked out, breathlessly. With a sigh of relief, he shifted his grip to my hand and pulled me gently away from the fire, heading towards the doors of the club, where already we could hear the sound of sirens. Edward suddenly gathered me into his arms and moved us out of the building with lightening speed, so that when the fire crew arrived, we were out of sight. Jasper I saw striding towards the fire chief determinedly.

"He will make them see that this was an arson attempt on the club by a disgruntled customer," he murmured against my hair, when we were out of sight. Rosalie huffed next to him.

"He could pin the blame on Mike Newton," she said, with a dark chuckle. I felt laughter bubble up my throat and when it started I couldn't stop. Edward put me down and I laughed so hard until suddenly his arms came round me again and I realised I was screaming and sobbing hysterically.

"It's over, my love, it's over," he soothed. "You are safe."

**_Just one more chapter to go folks. I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it :-)_**


	30. Chapter 30

**_This is the end, folks :(. Thank you if you have reviewed or added this as a favourite story. It's my birthday tomorrow so some reviews would be lovely ;-)_**

CHAPTER 30

"The fire department seem happy it was an arson attempt. They said that the fire was well contained and so the damage was localised to the bar area of the club. We shouldn't have any problems with insurance, Edward," said Jasper, leaning back in his office chair. Edward nodded, distractedly. We were sat in Jasper's office, all of us a little dazed from the fight. Rosalie looked especially proud of herself and Emmett was currently stood behind her massaging her shoulders. Alice was standing at Jasper's side, a faint smile on her face. Edward had sat on the couch, pulling me onto his lap, keeping his arms locked around me as if afraid to let me go.

"Laurent was caught by the wolves. Jacob took him out before he could get here," continued Jasper.

"Is Jacob ok?" I asked, feeling a stab of guilt that I had not asked earlier.

"He's fine," said Esme, giving me a small smile. Carlisle and Esme had stayed with the wolves, watching and waiting. "He needed to check on his pack."

"Was there a problem?" asked Jasper, raising an eyebrow.

"No, there were only the three of them. James had no other allies. Now the three of them are gone, Bella will be safe," said Carlisle. "Luckily no one else was hurt or involved in the skirmish."

"Just the club," said Emmett, with a grim smile.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry," I said. Edward's arms tightened around me.

"This was not your fault, my love," he said. I didn't respond, because my only answer would have angered him; this was entirely my fault. I had run from James, thinking he would never catch up with me and had involved these people in my flight. And he had killed my father and my friend, all because I had the temerity to leave him.

"Isabella," said Jasper, suddenly getting up and crossing the office to where I was sat. He crouched before me so that we were looking directly into one another's eyes. I looked at him a little nervously. "James was the worst kind of vampire. He took you, used you for your blood and glamoured you so that you wouldn't remember what he had done. When you worked out he was abusing you, you did what any sane person would; you left him. He did not deserve your loyalty or your affection, but you gave him both for longer than you should have. His attacks on people were fuelled by blood lust and had nothing to do with you. He killed your father because your father was on to him. And he killed your friend because she was an easy target. He flattered and glamoured her after your father's funeral. You were in no way responsible for anyone's death. Do you understand me?"

I nodded, a little uncertainly. Jasper still intimidated me a little. He smiled and his whole face changed.

"As for the damage done here tonight, we all played a part in that."

"Hell, Bella, that's the most fun I've had in ages!" said Emmett, with a laugh. I glanced across at him shyly. "Seeing Rosalie take that bitch out with her shoe is one of the hottest things I've ever seen!"

"You are such a lug," said Rosalie, rolling her eyes, but leaning up to kiss him on the lips anyway.

"And more importantly, you are still alive, my love," murmured Edward, gently turning me to face him. He pulled me down to him and kissed me. I smiled, but there were tears in my eyes.

"The last few years have been very traumatic, Bella," said Carlisle. "You should expect there to be some hurt. But we will all be here for you. I promise you, you are not alone."

"Of course not," said Esme, gently reaching across to touch my tear-stained cheek.

"What can we do?" asked Alice. "How can we make you feel better?"

"I don't know," I mumbled. "I guess... I want to go visit my dad."

"I will take you," said Edward, quietly. I half-smiled up at him and then looked away, tears stinging my eyes.

"Dad, there's so much I want to tell you, so many things I want to talk to you about. James is gone. I know you always said two wrongs don't make a right, but he was such an evil man. I think you knew what he was, Daddy. I suppose you couldn't have not known with what he did to you... what he did to me... I met someone else. He's a vampire too, but he's different. He loves me so much, Dad. I think you'd have liked him; he's always telling me to put my seatbelt on, just like you used to. I guess he wants to protect me; it's kind of nice. It makes me feel like you're watching over me too. Do you remember when I was fifteen and you didn't like my date to the prom? I gave you such a hard time about it, Dad, but you were right. When we got there he was kissing another girl; I remember I felt so betrayed. And you had warned me. I never told you because I hated to admit you had been right. You were always right. Except with James; he fooled us both, didn't he? I hope he arrives at the gates of Hell and they let you out of Heaven long enough to meet him there. You deserve your revenge on him too.

"I've changed, Daddy, so much. I don't know what you would say about what we've done. But it was the only way to stop James from hurting me and... I love Edward. I can't be without him. I am bound to him forever, Dad, but I am so happy. My only regret is you will never see him and that I will never see you again. I love you, Daddy."

I rubbed my eyes, staring down at his grave, as I set the flowers I had bought in the small vase in front of his stone. Edward's hands suddenly came down on my shoulders. I turned to him and managed a faint smile through my tears.

"He would be very proud of you, Bella," he said, softly. I didn't reply, but got to my feet slowly.

"What do we do now, Edward?"

"We return to Twilight," he said, with a small shrug. "And we live our lives such as they are."

"I've missed Twilight," I said, as we walked down the path back to his car. He opened the door for me.

"Put your seatbelt on," he said, as he got in. I laughed, softly and he leaned across and kissed my lips.

"You have missed waitressing?" he said, as he pulled out.

"I've missed everything about it," I said, with a shrug. "The waitressing, the clients, the other staff... my boss."

Edward rolled his eyes at that and shook his head.

"I'm not sure I can let you go back to waitressing, love," he said.

"Why?"

"Not sure I can stomach watching those men pawing at you and thinking lewd thoughts."

"Well, Edward, take comfort in the fact that the only one who gets to do anything with his lewd thoughts about me is you," I said, laughing at the darkening of his eyes, as I reached across and placed a hand on his thigh, giving him a sly look out of the corner of my eye.

"Isabella, I am trying to drive," he growled, but his lips twitched into a smile. "Perhaps we can investigate some of those lewd thoughts when we get home?"

"If you're lucky," I replied, with a giggle. He laughed in response, knowing that I was as anxious as he was to be home.

"Bella, I love you," he murmured. My heart still warmed whenever he said it and I smiled across at him.

"I love you too."

**_Et finit! I loved writing this and I am so grateful to those of you that reviewed it or added it as a favourite. Please let me know what you thought of the finished story; I would love to hear your comments. Thank you again :-)_**


	31. Epilogue

**_Just in case you want more..._**

_Epilogue_

"Edward, we have a problem," said Alice, as we came in after an afternoon of hunting in the woods around the house. I had never known hunting could be so much fun until Edward showed me a very peaceful spot where we could clean up in a fresh water stream and then spend some quality time alone together. I was finding our _quality_ time alone together more and more rewarding.

"A problem?" asked Edward, somewhat distracted by the fact that he had his lips on my neck. I sighed, blissfully and Alice huffed.

"Please, put her down for two minutes, this is important," she said.

"She's right, Edward," said Jasper, appearing behind Alice. He handed Edward a letter. The paper was cream and expensive looking, with an old-fashioned wax seal at the bottom. Edward blanched at the sight of it and glanced across at me.

"What is it?" I asked.

"The Volturi," he replied.

**_So, if anyone is interested in a sequel, let me know and I will get to work. I have a few ideas floating around in my head and am very much up for re-entering the world of The Club and spending a bit more time working with Bella and Edward :-). If you'd like to see a sequel, please contact me xxx_**


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